The world is too much with us; late and soon, Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers: Little we see in Nature that is ours; We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon! The Sea that bares her bosom to the moon; The winds that will be howling at all hours, And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers; For this, for everything, we are out of tune.
Interpretation
This quote reflects the idea that material pursuits distract us from appreciating the beauty of nature and the world around us.
William Wordsworth's quote speaks to the conflict between humanity's relentless pursuit of material wealth and the inherent beauty of the natural world that we often overlook. He laments that in our quest for 'getting and spending,' we have alienated ourselves from nature, losing touch with the simple joys and profound serenity it offers. The poet suggests that such distractions not only waste our true potential but also leave us 'out of tune' with the very essence of life that nature embodies.
In practice
This quote can be used in a speech about environmental conservation to highlight the importance of reconnecting with nature.
For mightier far_x000D_ _x000D_ Than strength of nerve or sinew, or the sway_x000D_ _x000D_ Of magic potent over sun and star,_x000D_ _x000D_ Is love, though oft to agony distrest,_x000D_ _x000D_ And though his favourite be feeble woman's breast.
By all means sometimes be alone; salute thyself; see what thy soul doth wear; dare to look in thy chest; and tumble up and down what thou findest there.
There was a time when meadow, grove, and stream,_x000D_ _x000D_ The earth, and every common sight,_x000D_ _x000D_ To me did seem_x000D_ _x000D_ Apparelled in celestial light,_x000D_ _x000D_ The glory and the freshness of a dream.
Books are yours, Within whose silent chambers treasure lies Preserved from age to age; more precious far Than that accumulated store of gold And orient gems, which, for a day of need, The Sultan hides deep in ancestral tombs. These hoards of truth you can unlock at will.
Shalt show us how divine a thing A woman may be made.
The best portion of a good man's life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.
Today, the first & last of every Tree/ Speaks to humankind. Come to me, here beside the River.
Biological diversity is messy. It walks, it crawls, it swims, it swoops, it buzzes. But extinction is silent, and it has no voice other than our own.
Nature has lent us life at interest, like money, and has fixed no day for its payment.
Every blade of grass, every insect, ant, and golden bee, all so amazingly know their path, though they have not intelligence, they bear witness to the mystery of God and continually accomplish it themselves.
Nature in America has always been suspect, on the defensive, cannibalized by progress. In America, every specimen becomes a relic.
The most important thing is to preserve the world we live in. Unless people understand and learn about our world, habitats, and animals, they won't understand that if we don't protect those habitats, we'll eventually destroy ourselves.
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