Yet once more, O ye laurels, and once more

Question

Ye myrtles brown, with ivy never sere,

I come to pluck your berries harsh and crude,

And with forc'd fingers rude

Shatter your leaves before the mellowing year. what does it mean?

Answer 1

This excerpt is from the poem "Lycidas" by John Milton. In this stanza, the speaker is addressing laurels, myrtles, and ivy, symbolic of nature and beauty. The speaker seems to be in a destructive mood, wanting to pluck the berries and shatter the leaves of these plants before they can fully ripen and mature. This could symbolize a sense of loss, destruction, or a desire to disrupt the natural order of growth and renewal.