The Widow's Lament in Springtime

When I read this poem, I noticed the use of nature and colors, all creating the image of spring. This spring, however, was tainted with grief. Her obvious depression seemed to be a contrast to the vibrant whites, yellows, and reds of the flowers around her. She used to be able to appreciate the beauty that surrounded her, but now she is unable to cast aside her grief to revel in the colors of spring. When I read the line "sorrow in my own yard," I thought that perhaps that yard held to many memories of her husband, so it only added to her sadness. She is confined in her yard just as she is confined by her sorrow. Maybe going to that meadow to fall into the flowers would be her way of not only escaping her yard but also escaping her sorrow. I got the impression that she was contemplating suicide when she says she wants to "sink into the marsh" near the flowers. I see the marsh surrounding her, enveloping her, and giving her a sense of comfort and peace. The flowers no longer are beautiful to her without her husband, and that represents her outlook of life, how her sorrow has erased life's beauty. Her grief seemed so strong and consuming, even though the poem describes the beauty of spring.