In the early 19th century, Wordsworth
wrote several sonnets blasting what he perceived as “the
decadent material cynicism of the time.” “The World Is Too
Much with Us” is one of those works. It reflects his view that
humanity must get in touch with nature to progress spiritually. The rhyme scheme of this poem is a-b-b-a, a-b-b-a, c-d-c-d, c-d. This
Italian or Petrarchan sonnet uses the last six lines (sestet) to
answer the first eight lines (octave). The first eight lines (octave)
are the problem and the next six (sestet) is the solution.
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!
This 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;
It moves us not. Great God! I’d
rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant
lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less
forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the
sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd
horn.
(so, with apologies to Mr. W.)
For whatever the
word's worth, the Earth is
still with us.
Although it may not be much
longer what with
our fossil-fueled nonesuch
giving the atmosphere halitosis,
pushing the planet
close to sclerosis
with our too
greedy and unthinking touch,
always grinding
the gears, ignoring the clutch.
Ocean thrombosis
shows what comatose is.
“Getting and
spending” has made us wealthy
(and healthy!) for
over two centuries.
So you'd have to
have bats in your belfry
to think we'd stop
doing whatever we please.
So long as the
status quo profits me,
I can not see
it as a disease.
[updated 5/8/2018 11:11 am]
