Wheelbarrow

The wheelbarrow, like all potential symbols in an Imagist poem, does not play a specific symbolic role. Instead, the wheelbarrow could represent a number of concepts that the reader must infer. It stands as a bold object within a natural setting. The wheelbarrow can be a working-class metaphor for the laborer or a symbol of man's presence in nature. While its precise symbolic significance may be a mystery, the wheelbarrow is the central image of the poem.

Rain water

The rain water symbolizes nature and the natural processes of the earth. It also helps introduce intimacy and gentleness to the poem, as it "glazes" the wheelbarrow rather than pelts or pummels it. Again, the Imagist nature of the poem renders its various symbols up for interpretation, but the rain water suggests a natural renewal to the scene rather than a threat or disturbance.

Chickens

The chickens...