6.1 The speaker ("we")
| Trait | Evidence |
|---|---|
| speaks for everyone who grieves | uses "we", "our", "us" |
| honest about pain | describes regret and emptiness frankly |
| reflective | examines how loss changes the mind and spirit |
| hopeful | ends with "Be and be better. For they existed." |
6.2 The "great souls"
| Quality | What the poem suggests |
|---|---|
| sources of strength | our inner life grew because of them |
| sources of light and learning | our understanding was shaped by them |
| deeply connected to us | our sense of reality was bound up with them |
| lasting influence | their existence continues to inspire us |
6.3 The creatures of the forest
| Creature | Reaction |
|---|---|
| the landscape | seems to tremble |
| lions | crouch low |
| elephants | move heavily away to safety |
| small creatures | shrink back into stunned silence |