To the Skylark

The skylark’s nest functions as a symbol of domesticity and the comfort of what is familiar and safe. The speaker describes the nest as resting upon “the dewy ground” (Line 4)—a reference to how skylarks build their nests at ground level, while also emphasizing the secure, rooted nature of the skylark’s home. The skylark’s nest is a place of comfort, a place to which the skylark can always return when in need of relaxation: “Thy nest which thou canst drop into at will / Those quivering wings composed, that music still!” (Lines 3-4). The nest also represents domesticity and emotional ties in a family sense, the place in which birds raise their young. When the speaker refers to the “love-prompted strain” (Line 8) of the skylark’s song and the “never-failing bond” (Line 9) it forms between the skylark and its loved ones, he is making it clear that the skylark and its nest represents the interpersonal ties that also exist between a living creature and its companions within its home environment.

Just as the skylark’s nest represents the comforts and security of home or another familiar place, the sky represents not just a geographical location, but a symbol of freedom, independence, and the unknown.