The Mountain

Summary

The piece describes a mountain as a timeless and powerful presence in the natural landscape, seated like a king on the plain with a commanding and all-seeing view. It is anthropomorphized as a wise and ancient figure, with the changing seasons portrayed as children gathering reverently around it, symbolizing the passage of time and the mountain's role as a primal force in nature. The imagery evokes a sense of majesty and continuity, illustrating nature's cycles and the enduring presence of natural elements through ages. The mountain becomes a metaphorical ancestor of time, indicating longevity and stability amidst the transient nature of life.

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The mountain sat upon the plain
In his eternal chair,
His observation omnifold,
His inquest everywhere.

The seasons prayed around his knees,
Like children round a sire:
Grandfather of the days is he,
Of dawn the ancestor.