To a Skylark

Shelley’s poem describes a bird that becomes transformed through the imagination into a spirit ascending to Heaven. Heaven is the center of many poems about religion because it is the ultimate goal, a divine place full of innocence and purity. The poet describes the spirit “like a star of Heaven” because he imagines the bird as an innocent creature. He asks the bird to “teach” him and the world because he wants to change the world through poetry. Poetry could be the connection to having the world understand the a divine power. The narrator is using the bird as symbol for faith. I believe he compared the bird to a spirit because each one is untouchable. Comparing divine entities to an animal or object that can be seen enables humans to comprehend them. The bird has spiritual qualities because it rarely touches the ground and is free of all sin. The poet identifies himself  with this “scorner of the ground”, but fears that he is impure and does not have “wings” or the right words to change the way society views. He asks the bird-spirit to teach him just as religious people pray to God to strengthen their faith. The poem is like the poet’s prayer.  He wants to have the power to produce a “harmonious madness” from his lips, so that “The world should listen then, as I am listening now” to the bird. The narrator imagines developing a divine poetic power that could compel an audience to listen.