First Sight

This poem describes lambs in the winter and talks about the hope of spring. It discusses the circle of life, being born young and innocent, and growing older until death, this cycle linking to nature and the repetition of the seasons, also reflected in the repetitive rhyme scheme.

Stanza 1:

• 'lambs that learn to walk in snow...meet a vast unwelcome' demonstrates their innocence as they adapt to something they dont need to. Lambs are a symbol of innocence youth and purity, so they act as a sign or new life in a time of no hope. 
• 'know nothing but a sunless glare' reinforces this innocence, as well as demonstrating the way life can seem so cold at points and you think that this is all there is to it, it can change. 
• 'outside the fold' shows the lack of understanding they have for life.
• 'is a wretched width of cold' reinforces how life can be unkind.

Stanza 2:

• 'wait' suggests better things are yet to come. 
• 'hidden round them, waiting too' is 'earths immeasurable surprise' being spring, a time of hope, change and positivity unlike the bleakness of winter.
• 'they could not grasp it if they knew' shows how innocent they are not even being able to understand the prospect of something new. 
• 'what will soon wake and grow' shows it will be a time of new beginnings where things have the opportunity to 'grow'.  
• 'utterly unlike snow' demonstrates how change can be a good thing, and although one thing (snow) can take over your life, that can change.