Question

Read the stanza from "Monet’s ‘Waterlilies’” by Robert Hayden.

O light beheld as through refracting tears.
Here is the aura of that world
each of us has lost.
Here is the shadow of its joy.

How does the imagery in the stanza contribute to the poem’s overall meaning?

It illustrates tears as being soothing.
It illustrates a sense of misfortune.
It illustrates faith in humankind.
It illustrates the beauty of nature.

Answer 1

It illustrates a sense of misfortune.

The phrases "refracting tears," "each of us has lost," and "the shadow of its joy" evoke loss, sorrow, and diminished happiness rather than comfort, faith, or solely natural beauty.