Anna Wickham’s speaker notices a tiny goblin sitting high in a tree, making faces at her. He is called wicked, but because he is so small, the mischief feels playful rather than threatening. Instead of being frightened, she seems almost pleased by his presence. The goblin changes the way she sees her own garden: it becomes venturous, more exciting, and the trees suddenly feel taller. The mood is whimsical and lightly enchanted, full of childlike wonder. A familiar place becomes strange and full of possibility once a little bit of magic or naughtiness enters it. The goblin is not really a danger, more like a spark of energy that makes the everyday world feel larger, wilder, and more alive.
The Trespasser — Summary
There is a little goblin in my tree. He sits up high and mows at me. He is so wicked, yet so small, He makes my garden venturous, and my trees tall.