Not a leaf , now a bird
A world cast in frost , I came out above the wood.
The atmosphere of stillness , evil air is magnified in these lines even further. The writer wants to show the readers the that he is passing by when everything is quite , he’s the only one on the move. These lines show that he has struggled and finally passed through the challenge ahead him. The enormity of his difficulty is emphasized here in these lines.
When my breathe left torturous statues in the iron light
But the valleys were draining the darkness.
There is a contrast between light and darkness (hope and lost hope). The first line intensifies the difficulty much more “the torturous light” puts in an effect to these lines.
Till the moor line –blackening dregs of the brightening grey
Halved sky ahead And I saw the Horses.
Blackening dregs of the brightening sky shows the image of the difficulty that is covering the poet. The poet is contrasting with a tone of optimism the problems are still existing but the hopes of the poet are still existing too. Tone of surprise as he saw the horses this tell us the poetic persona did not except to see anything. This also emphasizes the difficulties the poet had in the dark world.
Hugh in the dense grey – ten together
Megalith - still They breathed making no move.
Hugh in the dark grey shows the strength of the horses able to withstand the dark difficult condition. This now creates an irony (capability and incapability). Contrasts poet with the horses.
With draped manes and tilted hind –hooves
Making no sound
The hind hooves are tilted so that they don’t feel the chill. The horse are the only ones who have adapted to this difficult dark atmosphere. The silence of the horses appreciates the tendency of the animals to adapt to the environment.
I passed no one snorted or jerked its head
Grey silent fragments
Of the grey silent world
These lines say that the horses are a part of the grey atmosphere and also because they are quiet with the atmosphere patience is signified in these lines “I passed : No one snorted or jerked its head”. “Of a grey silent world “ shows a cast world it also gives a tone of appreciation to the horses, the poet also emphasizes his incapability to adopt to the difficult atmosphere he appreciates the horses for their adaptability to the grey silent world.