'To a Skylark' by P.B.Shelly

‘To a Skylark’ is one of best literary creation of P.B. Shelly. In the poem the writer sketched a beautiful scenario where he quite vividly described the Skylark, which is a bird. The poem begins with a positive description where the poet narrated the bird (Skylark) as a fine artistic symbol, whose song is full of joy. Hearing the sweet melody of Skylark the poet assumed the bird has come from heaven and represent ‘joy and happiness’. He then went on to comparing the Skylark with many more aspects applying different literary devices. As the bird fly higher and higher it appears like a ‘cloud of fire’, the further it flies in the sky the louder the voice becomes. The poet then further explains that as in the morning sky the stars although present but can’t not be seen for the brightening sun similarly the presence of Skylark is invisible in the morning sky. 

The poet then says that the sublime voice of the bird makes the environment more blissful and lively, he then compares the beauty of the bird with rainbow. The metaphorical devices that P.B Shelly implemented in the poem while describing the Skylark made a kind of live picture in front of the readers. The sweet voice of the bird is then compared with the soothing scent of rose that prevails in the air. Surprised by such blissful voice and rapture presentation of the Skylark, the poet then inquiries what is the secrete of that, is she motivated by the beauty of Mountain and sea, or has she been motivated by the spectrum of its own species.

Having delineated the beauty of Skylark throughout, the poet now request the bird to endow him with ability of her soothing voice. P.B. Shelly then entreats the bird to teach him half of her skills so that he too can then sing so beautiful and the entirely world listen to him as he was listening to her at that moment.

The description of such a common creature like a bird with such an electrifying approach made this poem so special to all. This unique feature of Shelly discerns him from his contemporary writers; his ability to personify an object or any creature made all his literary creation so famous. The poem ‘To a Skylark’ is not only picaresque some vivid description but it also depicts the mind-set of the poet.