Swallows Travel To and Fro Poem Notes & Poetic Devices

“Swallows Travel to and Fro” by Robert Louis Stevenson is a simple yet profound poem that beckons readers to discover and appreciate the way nature connects us, even when we are distant from one another. This section provides notes on the poem, including a summary, theme, central idea, key points, and SAQs (Student Asked Common Questions). For more on poetry, click here.

Click here to see Stanza Wise Explanation of “Swallows Travel to and Fro”

Poem: Swallows Travel To and Fro

Swallows travel to and fro,
And the great winds come and go,
And the steady breezes blow,
Bearing perfume, bearing love.
Breezes hasten, swallows fly,
Towered clouds forever ply,
And at noonday, you and I
See the same sunshine above.

Dew and rain fall everywhere,
Harvests ripen, flowers are fair,
And the whole round earth is bare
To the moonshine and the sun;
And the live air, fanned with wings,
Bright with breeze and sunshine, brings
Into contact distant things,
And makes all the countries one.

Let us wander where we will,
Something kindred greets us still;
Something seen on vale or hill
Falls familiar on the heart;
So, at scent or sound or sight,
Severed souls by day and night
Tremble with the same delight –
Tremble, half the world apart.

by Robert Louis Stevenson

Vocabulary Notes

Stanza 1 Vocabulary:

• To and fro: Moving back and forth, describing how the swallows fly in different directions.
• Steady: Constant or regular; the breeze blows continuously without stopping.
• Breeze: A gentle, light wind that blows softly.
• Bearing: Carrying or bringing something; here, the breeze carries pleasant smells and feelings of love.
• Hasten: Move quickly; the poet describes how the breeze moves fast.
• Towered: Tall and impressive; the clouds look like big, high towers in the sky.
• Ply: To move regularly; the clouds move back and forth across the sky continuously.

Stanza 2 Vocabulary:

• Dew: Tiny drops of water that form on cool surfaces, often in the early morning.
• Harvest ripen: Crops growing fully and ready to be gathered; the poet notes how plants and crops mature with the help of rain and dew.
• Flowers are fair: The flowers look beautiful, showing the beauty of nature.
• Bare: Open or exposed; the Earth is fully open to the sunlight and moonlight.
• Distant: Far away; referring to places that are separated by large distances.

Stanza 3 Vocabulary:

• Wander: To walk or travel without a specific destination; exploring different places freely.
• Kindred: Similar in nature or feeling; something familiar or relatable that we recognize in different places.
• Greets: Welcomes; something in nature makes us feel welcome wherever we go.
• Vale: A valley; a low area of land between hills or mountains.
• Familiar: Something that feels known or easily recognized.
• Severed: Cut off or separated; describes the feeling of being far away from others.
• Severed souls: People who feel separated or distant from each other emotionally or physically.
• Apart: Separated by distance or difference.
• World apart: Being very far from each other, sometimes meaning in different parts of the world.

Summary

In the first stanza, the poet describes swallows flying back and forth, while strong winds and gentle breezes move continuously. These breezes carry pleasant scents and a feeling of love. The poet points out that, despite being in different places, people can share experiences like seeing the same sunlight, which makes them feel connected.

The second stanza talks about how dew, rain, and sunlight help plants grow and flowers bloom everywhere. The Earth is exposed to the light of both the sun and moon, and the air, filled with breezes and flying birds, connects faraway places. This unity in nature brings distant countries together, showing that the world feels smaller and more connected through nature.

In the final stanza, the poet notes that no matter where people go, they find something familiar in nature. Whether it’s a valley, hill, or any natural scene, these sights touch their hearts. The poet explains that even if people are separated, they still feel connected through shared memories, scents, and sounds, which bring them comfort and joy, despite being “half the world apart.”

Theme of the Poem

The theme of Swallows Travel to and Fro by Robert Louis Stevenson revolves around connection and unity through nature. The poet emphasizes how natural elements like the wind, sunlight, moonlight, and seasons are shared across the world, linking people even when they are far apart. Through the imagery of swallows flying, clouds moving, and breezes carrying love, the poem suggests that nature brings people together, creating a sense of familiarity and warmth regardless of physical distance.

Another theme is the universal experience of emotions. Stevenson implies that people, no matter where they live, feel similar emotions and find comfort in shared experiences. The poem encourages us to recognize the things that unite us, like the beauty of nature and shared feelings, which make the world feel like one big connected family.

Central Idea

The central idea of the poem Swallows Travel to and Fro is that nature connects people across distances. Stevenson portrays how natural elements, like the breeze, sunlight, and moonlight, are shared by everyone, making even distant lands feel connected. No matter where we are, we can experience the same wonders of nature and feel a sense of unity and familiarity.

This connection helps people feel close to each other, even if they are separated by physical distance. The poem suggests that shared experiences and emotions make the world smaller, bringing people together in spirit even when they are “half the world apart.”

Message

The poem Swallows Travel to and Fro conveys the message that nature has the power to unite people, even if they are far apart. Through shared experiences like feeling the breeze, seeing the same sunlight, and enjoying the beauty of flowers, we realize that we are all connected. This connection brings comfort and a sense of familiarity, reminding us that despite physical distances, we share the same world and similar feelings.

The poem also suggests that we are never truly alone because the natural world links us to others. It encourages us to appreciate these connections and recognize how nature helps us feel close to others, creating bonds that go beyond distance.

Key Points – Swallows traveling To and Fro

Here are the key points of the poem Swallows Travel to and Fro by Robert Louis Stevenson:

1. Connection through Nature: Nature unites people across distances, making the world feel smaller and more connected.
2. Shared Experiences: Elements like sunlight, breezes, rain, and moonlight are shared by everyone, creating a sense of unity.
3. Beauty of Nature: The poet emphasizes the beauty of flowers, fields, clouds, and other natural sights that everyone can enjoy.
4. Familiarity in New Places: No matter where we go, we find something familiar in nature that makes us feel at home and connected to others.
5. Emotional Bonding: The poem shows that people feel close emotionally, even when physically separated, through shared memories and natural elements.
6. Unity of the World: Stevenson conveys that despite physical distances, nature makes us feel as if we all belong to one world.

Poetic Devices

The poem Swallows Travel to and Fro by Robert Louis Stevenson uses several poetic devices that enhance its themes and imagery. Here are some of the major ones:

The poem has a very clear rhyme scheme of aaabcccbd,

1. Rhyme Scheme: The poem has a consistent rhyme scheme (AAABCCCB), which gives it a soothing, rhythmic structure that enhances the idea of continuity and the steady flow of nature.
2. Imagery: The poet uses vivid imagery, such as “swallows travel,” “towered clouds,” and “flowers are fair,” to paint a clear picture of the natural world, allowing readers to visualize and feel connected to the scenes.
3. Personification: Nature is given human-like qualities, as seen in phrases like –
   • “breezes hasten” and “bright with breeze and sunshine brings.”
   • the breeze is described as “bearing” love, giving it an active role in the poem
   • This makes nature feel alive and as if it’s actively connecting people.
4. Alliteration: The poet employs alliteration, where the same consonant sounds are repeated at the beginning of words, such as
   • (1st Stanza) – “travel to and fro”; “breezes blow”; “Bearing perfume, bearing love”; “See the same sunshine above”.
   • (2nd Stanza) – “flowers are fair”; “Bright with breeze and sunshine, brings”.
   • (3rd Stanza) – “Let us wander where we will”; “So, at scent or sound or sight“
5. Metaphor: The entire poem serves as a metaphor for human connection, suggesting that nature acts as a bridge between people across distances, even if this connection isn’t literal.
   • The phrase “world apart” serves as a metaphor for emotional distance, suggesting that even if people are far apart physically, they can still feel connected.
6. Symbolism: Swallows and natural elements symbolize freedom, connection, and the beauty of shared experiences. They represent how nature brings people together.
7. Anaphora: It is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive lines or clauses. See examples:
   • “And the great winds come and go, And the steady breezes blow…”
   • Something kindred greets us still; Something seen on vale or hill
   • Tremble with the same delight – Tremble, half the world apart.

These devices together help convey the poem’s message of unity and the beauty of shared experiences through nature.

Student Asked Questions SAQs

Here are some SAQs (Student Asked Questions) that could help students understand Swallows Travel to and Fro by Robert Louis Stevenson:

1. What do the swallows and the breezes represent in the poem?
   Answer: The swallows and breezes represent movement and connection, showing how natural elements link distant places and people.
2. Why does the poet mention “the same sunshine above”?
   Answer: By mentioning the same sunshine, the poet shows that people, even if far apart, share the same natural experiences, which makes them feel connected.
3. What does the phrase “flowers are fair” mean?
   Answer: It means the flowers look beautiful. The poet uses this to highlight the beauty in nature that everyone can enjoy.
4. How does nature help people feel connected?
   Answer: Nature connects people through shared elements like sunlight, breeze, and rain, which everyone experiences regardless of where they live.
5. What is meant by “severed souls” in the poem?
   Answer: “Severed souls” refers to people who feel separated or distant, either physically or emotionally, but still share a connection through nature.
6. How does the poem show that the world is united?
   Answer: The poem shows unity by describing how nature’s elements, like the breeze and sunlight, travel freely and reach everyone, creating a sense of shared experience.
7. What message does the poet convey about distance and relationships?
   Answer: The poet conveys that, despite physical distance, shared experiences in nature can bring people closer emotionally.
8. Why does the poet mention “distant things” in stanza 2?
   Answer: “Distant things” refers to places or people that are far apart but feel connected through natural elements like the breeze and sunlight.
9. What is the significance of the line “and makes all the countries one”?
   This line suggests that nature connects different countries and people, creating a sense of unity and making the world feel like one large community.
10. What emotions are felt by “severed souls” in the poem?
    Answer: “Severed souls” feel a sense of connection and joy, as shared memories and experiences in nature bring them closer, even when they are far apart.
11. What symbols does the poet use in the poem, and what do they represent?
    Answer: In the poem, the poet uses symbols like swallows, breezes, sunlight, and moonlight to represent freedom, connection, and unity.
    • The swallows symbolize movement and the idea of people traveling yet still being connected.
    • The breezes represent the invisible bonds that link people across distances, carrying “perfume” and “love,” which shows how emotions and memories travel across spaces.
    • Sunlight and moonlight symbolize shared experiences that everyone can enjoy, no matter where they are, creating a sense of togetherness and universal beauty.
    • These symbols highlight how nature connects us, bridging physical distances and helping people feel close even when far apart.