The speaker watches a river at dawn as if it were a woman slowly waking into passion. Gulls circle above, described as madly in love, while the sun leans over the water like a lover, warming and kissing her until laughter and sparks appear. The river is not passive: she unveils her face, stirs, and seems to glow from within. There is a warning in the middle—don’t catch fire—but the feeling is more thrilled than afraid. The speaker’s tone is tender and a little intoxicated by the scene. The gulls’ cries become dream-thoughts and songs of desire rising from the river herself. By the end, the speaker imagines the sun lending the river wings so she can fly off with the birds to the sea. The mood is luminous, sensual, and ecstatic, full of motion and longing, as if the landscape itself is on the edge of waking into something vast and free.
The Awakening River — Summary
The gulls are mad-in-love with the river, And the river unveils her face and smiles. In her sleep-brooding eyes they mirror their shining wings. She lies on silver pillows: the sun leans over her. He warms and warms her, he kisses and kisses her. There are sparks in her hair and she stirs in laughter. Be careful, my beautiful waking one! you will catch on fire. Wheeling and flying with the foam of the sea on their breasts, The ineffable mists of the sea clinging to their wild wings, Crying the rapture of the boundless ocean, The gulls are mad-in-love with the river. Wake! we are the dream thoughts flying from your heart. Wake! we are the songs of desire flowing from your bosom. O, I think the sun will lend her his great wings And the river will fly away to the sea with the mad-in-love birds.