The Gale

The “Gale” (5) in the second stanza symbolizes the obstacles that one encounters in life. A gale or storm is a condition of weather in which one is subject to the battering of the elements, reminded of one’s own mortality and frailty. As something that simply happens in the world around us without our being able to control it, the storm represents how life throws challenges at us even when we are not ready for them.

The Tune

The song that the bird Hope sings is described as a “tune without the words” (3). This music symbolizes the guidance, care, and strength that hope can provide in times of despair and difficulty. In framing the song as “without the words,” the speaker suggests that hope’s appeal to us transcends language, and takes place deep within us on an intuitive level. Furthermore, by describing the sound...