Lucy Gray - A moving tragedy

A poem that has left a lasting impression in me is the story of Lucy Gray, by William Wordsworth. Not sure, if it's among his most famous works but if you happen to read it, you will be moved by the emotions that it brings out. Wordsworth a nature poet, definitely subtly brings out the supernatural impact of nature and the power nature has over man.

"To cut a long story short, Lucy gray has no friends and lives with her family. One afternoon, she goes to fetch her mother from the town which is beside the mountain/forest with a lantern in her hand. An unexpected blizzard hits and there she goes missing. Time here stops, we would want to believe that Lucy Gray returns to her family and they live happily ever after. But the footsteps of her ends abruptly in middle of a bridge. The conclusion of the poem seems to indicate that she has less chances of surviving".

The suspense at the end strikes one hard, no one knows if she is really lost or is she going to be back. We all want to believe that she is going to be and live happily ever after. Poem though is tragic there is some hope left for us. Her parents as shown in the poem to blissfully believe that she is alive and will be back one day.

We all want to believe that this life will get us somewhere though, we could have hit a plateau; we all like her parents want to believe that those times of cheer, like Lucy Gray will be back.

Lucy Gray could be compared with the efforts/decisions we take in life to reach the goal. We plan it, we secure it by giving it a lantern and the vicissitudes hits us like a blizzard. Retaining the hope of seeing the fruits of our labor, is in our hands. Let us believe that our hopes are secured and there are things to cheer about.

Will she see the light of the day? Are the foot steps seen is of some other girl and not of Lucy Gray ? Read the poem and make your own conclusion!

Lucy Gray - William Wordsworth

"Oft I had heard of Lucy Gray,

And when I cross'd the Wild,
I chanc'd to see at break of day
The solitary Child.

No Mate, no comrade Lucy knew;
She dwelt on a wild Moor,
The sweetest Thing that ever grew
Beside a human door!

You yet may spy the Fawn at play,
The Hare upon the Green;
But the sweet face of Lucy Gray
Will never more be seen.

"To-night will be a stormy night,
You to the Town must go,
And take a lantern, Child, to light
Your Mother thro' the snow."

"That, Father! will I gladly do;
'Tis scarcely afternoon--
The Minster-clock has just struck two,
And yonder is the Moon."

At this the Father rais'd his hook
And snapp'd a faggot-band;
He plied his work, and Lucy took
The lantern in her hand.

Not blither is the mountain roe,
With many a wanton stroke
Her feet disperse, the powd'ry snow
That rises up like smoke.

The storm came on before its time,
She wander'd up and down,
And many a hill did Lucy climb
But never reach'd the Town.

The wretched Parents all that night
Went shouting far and wide;
But there was neither sound nor sight
To serve them for a guide.

At day-break on a hill they stood
That overlook'd the Moor;
And thence they saw the Bridge of Wood
A furlong from their door.

And now they homeward turn'd, and cry'd
"In Heaven we all shall meet!"
When in the snow the Mother spied
The print of Lucy's feet.

Then downward from the steep hill's edge
They track'd the footmarks small;
And through the broken hawthorn-hedge,
And by the long stone-wall;

And then an open field they cross'd,
The marks were still the same;
They track'd them on, nor ever lost,
And to the Bridge they came.

They follow'd from the snowy bank
The footmarks, one by one,
Into the middle of the plank,
And further there were none.

Yet some maintain that to this day
She is a living Child,
That you may see sweet Lucy Gray
Upon the lonesome Wild.

O'er rough and smooth she trips along,
And never looks behind;
And sings a solitary song
That whistles in the wind."