Poem Analysis: The Brook by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Description of the River

• The river originates from the haunts of coot and hern, suggesting a natural and serene environment.
• The river suddenly emerges from the fern, "bicker[ing] down a valley" with a sense of urgency and energy.

Journey of the River

• The river flows by thirty hills, indicating a winding and varied path.
• It passes by twenty thorpes, a small town, and half a hundred bridges, highlighting its connection to human settlements.
• The river eventually reaches Philip's farm, where it flows to join the brimming river.

Characteristics of the River

• The river is characterized by its gentle, musical sounds, "chatter[ing] over stony ways" and "babb[ling] on the pebbles".
• It has a playful and meandering nature, "wind[ing] about, and in and out" with many curves and bends.

Interaction with the Environment

• The river affects the surrounding landscape, "frett[ing] by many a field and fallow" and creating "many a fairy foreland set with willow-weed and mallow".
• It is home to various aquatic life, including trout and grayling, and features "many a silvery waterbreak" and "foamy flake[s]".

Timelessness and Eternity

• The river is eternal, "go[ing] on for ever", while human existence is transient, with "men may come and men may go".
• The river's persistence is emphasized by its continued flow, "I chatter, chatter, as I flow" and "I curve and flow" to join the brimming river.