Question

read the excerpts from tintern abbey below. note the sensory details wordsworth uses to paint a picture with words.
excerpt 1: lines 4-8
once again
do i behold these steep and lofty cliffs,
that on a wild secluded scene impress
thoughts of more deep seclusion; and connect
the landscape with the quiet of the sky
excerpt 2: lines 76-83

• and in thy voice i catch

the language of my former heart, and read
my former pleasures in the shooting lights
of thy wild eyes. oh! yet a little while
may i behold in thee what i was once...

type of imagery | example from poem | effect created
--- | --- | ---
visual (sight) | \these steep and lofty cliffs\ | creates a sense of awe and natures grand scale. makes the scene feel imposing and magnificent.
auditory (sound) | \in thy voice i catch / the language of my former heart\ |

see - think - wonder
i see...
what sensory details stand out to you in the excerpts?
i think...
what mood or feeling do these details create?
i wonder...
what questions do you have about the poet’s choices?

Explanation:

For the Auditory (Sound) imagery effect: The reference to a "voice" links nature to the speaker's past emotions, creating an intimate, nostalgic connection between the natural world and the speaker's former self.
For the See-Think-Wonder sections:

1. I SEE...: Identify the explicit sensory details: the visual of steep, lofty cliffs; the auditory detail of a voice that echoes the speaker's former heart; the visual of "shooting lights" in nature's "wild eyes".
2. I THINK...: The sensory details create a mood of quiet awe, gentle nostalgia, and deep, peaceful connection between the speaker and the natural landscape, as the speaker reflects on their past self through nature.
3. I WONDER...: Example questions: Why does Wordsworth link his former self to nature's voice? How do the "shooting lights" symbolize his past pleasures specifically?

Answer:

Imagery Table Completion:

Type of Imagery	Example from Poem	Effect Created
Auditory (Sound)	"in thy voice I catch / The language of my former heart"	Fosters intimate nostalgia, linking nature to the speaker's past emotional self, and creates a sense of deep, personal connection between the speaker and the natural world.

See-Think-Wonder:

1. I SEE...: Visual details of steep, lofty cliffs and "shooting lights" in nature's "wild eyes"; auditory detail of a voice that carries the "language of my former heart".
2. I THINK...: The details create a mood of quiet reverence, warm nostalgia, and profound, peaceful unity between the speaker and the natural environment, as the speaker reflects on their lost past self through nature.
3. I WONDER...:

• Why does Wordsworth frame nature as a vessel for his former self?
• How do the "shooting lights" specifically represent his past pleasures?
• What does the "quiet of the sky" reveal about the speaker's current emotional state?