The Brook (Alfred Lord Tennyson)

The brook (a small stream) begins its journey from a place where birds
like coots and herons live. It suddenly rushes forward, sparkling as it
moves among the ferns, and flows down the valley.
I come from haunts of coot and hern,
I make a sudden sally Personification: The brook "makes a sudden sally" (as if it is a person
setting out on a journey).
And sparkle out among the fern,
To bicker down a valley. Visual Imagery: "Sparkle out among the fern" (creates a picture of the
brook shining in the sunlight).

Alliteration: "Sudden sally" (repetition of the ‘s’ sound).

The brook flows down many hills, moves through small villages
(thorpes) and a town, and crosses many bridges before reaching a farm
named Philip’s. Finally, it joins a bigger river. The poet emphasizes that
while people come and go, the brook continues forever.
By thirty hills I hurry down,
Personification: "I hurry down" (suggests the brook is moving like a
Or slip between the ridges, living being).
By twenty thorpes, a little town,
Refrain: "For men may come and men may go, But I go on forever."
And half a hundred bridges.
(repeated throughout the poem to show the eternal nature of the
brook).

Visual Imagery: "By thirty hills I hurry down" (creates a picture of the
brook moving through landscapes).
The brook continues its journey past Philip's farm and eventually joins a
bigger river. The refrain suggests that while people’s lives are
Till last by Philip's farm I flow temporary, the brook keeps flowing forever.

To join the brimming river, Personification: "I flow" (gives the brook human-like movement).
For men may come and men may go,
Refrain: "For men may come and men may go, But I go on for ever."
But I go on for ever.
(repeated to emphasize the eternal nature of the brook).

Visual Imagery: "Brimming river" (helps visualize a full, flowing river).

The brook makes a chattering sound as it flows over stones, creating
sharp, high-pitched noises. It forms small swirling pools and keeps
making bubbling sounds while moving over pebbles.
I chatter over stony ways,
In little sharps and trebles, Auditory Imagery: "I chatter over stony ways" (describes the brook’s
I bubble into eddying bays, sound).
I babble on the pebbles.
Personification: "I babble on the pebbles" (as if the brook is talking).

Alliteration: "Bubble into eddying bays" (repetition of ‘b’ sound).

 The brook carves its way through fields and meadows, shaping the land
as it flows. Along its banks, beautiful plants like willow-weed and
mallow grow.
With many a curve my banks I fret
By many a field and fallow, Personification: "My banks I fret" (as if the brook is worried or shaping
the land).
And many a fairy foreland set
With willow-weed and mallow. Visual Imagery: "Many a fairy foreland set with willow-weed and
mallow" (describes the beauty of the brook’s surroundings).

Alliteration: "Fairy foreland" (repetition of ‘f’ sound)

The brook keeps chattering as it flows towards the river. The refrain
repeats, reminding us that people’s lives are temporary, but the brook
continues forever.
I chatter, chatter, as I flow
To join the brimming river, Refrain: "For men may come and men may go, But I go on forever."
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on forever. Personification: "I chatter, chatter" (as if the brook is talking).

Auditory Imagery: "Chatter, chatter as I flow" (describes the sound of

the brook).
The brook moves in and out of curves. Sometimes, a flower floats on its
surface, and fish like trout and grayling swim in it. Sometimes, white
foam appears on the brook as it rushes forward.
I wind about, and in and out,
With here a blossom sailing, Visual Imagery: "Here a blossom sailing" (paints a picture of a flower
floating).
And here and there a lusty trout,
And here and there a grayling, Personification: "I wind about, and in and out" (as if the brook is
consciously moving).

Alliteration: "Here and there" (repetition of ‘h’ sound).

The brook carries small, foamy flakes of water as it moves along. As it
travels, the water forms tiny waves and splashes, which appear silvery
as they break over the golden-colored gravel beneath the surface.

Visual Imagery: "Foamy flake," "silvery water break," "golden gravel"

And here and there a foamy flake (creates a clear picture of the sparkling water and colorful riverbed).
Upon me, as I travel
Alliteration: "With many a silvery water break" (repetition of the ‘w’
With many a silvery water break sound).
Above the golden gravel,
Personification: "Upon me, as I travel" (the brook is given human-like
movement and action).

Metaphor: "Silvery water break" (compares the splashes of water to

silver without using "like" or "as").
 The brook carries everything along as it moves toward the river. The
refrain repeats, showing that while people may live and die, the brook
continues to flow forever.
And draw them all along, and flow
To join the brimming river Personification: "I draw them all along" (as if the brook has a will of its
For men may come and men may go, own).
But I go on forever.
Refrain: "For men may come and men may go, But I go on forever."

Visual Imagery: "Brimming river" (helps visualize a full, flowing river).

The brook moves past green lawns and hazel bushes. As it flows, it
gently moves small blue flowers called forget-me-nots, which are special
I steal by lawns and grassy plots for lovers.
I slide by hazel covers;
Personification: "I move the sweet forget-me-nots" (as if the brook is
I move the sweet forget-me-nots
touching the flowers).
That grow for happy lovers.
Visual Imagery: "Sweet forget-me-nots that grow for happy lovers"
(creates a peaceful and romantic picture).
The brook moves smoothly, sometimes bright and sometimes dark. It
reflects sunlight, making it look like the sunbeams are dancing on its
surface.
I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance,
Among my skimming swallows; Personification: "I gloom, I glance" (as if the brook has emotions).
I make the netted sunbeam dance
Metaphor: "I make the netted sunbeam dance" (the movement of light
Against my sandy shallows. on water is compared to dancing).

Visual Imagery: "Skimming swallows" (describes birds flying low over

the water).
At night, the brook murmurs under the moon and stars as it moves
through wild, overgrown areas. It slows down near pebbly shores and
water plants like cresses.
I murmur under moon and stars
In brambly wildernesses; Personification: "I murmur under moon and stars" (as if the brook is
speaking softly).
I linger by my shingly bars;
I loiter round my cresses; Visual Imagery: "Brambly wildernesses" (describes the wild plants near
the brook).

Alliteration: "Murmur under moon" (repetition of ‘m’ sound).

The brook continues its journey, flowing back into open areas before
finally joining the big river. The poem ends with the repeated refrain
And out again I curve and flow about the eternal movement of the brook.
To join the brimming river,
For men may come and men may go, Refrain: "For men may come and men may go, But I go on forever."
But I go on forever.
Personification: "I curve and flow" (as if the brook is making its own
decisions).
Comparison of the Brook’s Journey to Human Life
In The Brook, Alfred Lord Tennyson compares the journey of the brook to the journey of human life. This
extended metaphor reflects the idea that just as the brook continuously flows through different landscapes,
human life moves through various phases, from birth to death.

1. The Brook’s Birth and Youth – Early Life of Humans

 The brook begins its journey from the "haunts of coot and hern" (places where birds live), much like a
human is born into the world.
 It moves with energy, "sparkling" and "bickering" down valleys, similar to how young people are full of
enthusiasm and excitement.

2. The Brook’s Meandering – Middle Age of Humans

 The brook does not flow in a straight line; it winds, curves, and encounters obstacles ("many a field and
fallow").
 This reflects the ups and downs of human life, where people face challenges, changes, and
experiences.
 The brook "chatter[s]" and "babbles," just like humans engage in conversations, relationships, and
learning as they grow.

3. The Brook’s Calmness – Old Age and Wisdom

 Towards the end, the brook slows down, moving "under moon and stars" and "loitering" around plants
like "forget-me-nots."
 This represents old age, when people slow down, reflect on life, and cherish memories.

4. The Eternal Flow of the Brook – Mortality vs. Immortality

 The poet emphasizes, "For men may come and men may go, but I go on forever."
 Humans are mortal and pass away, but nature (the brook) is eternal.
 This highlights the contrast between the temporary nature of human life and the everlasting