Sonnet II: Written at the Close of Spring

Charlotte Smith's "Sonnet Written at the Close of Spring" is a romantic poem about nature written in the traditional form of a sonnet. It shows that nature and humanity are interconnected and uses human traits in the non-human world. The sonnet starts off discussing the wonders of spring, and talks about many flowers that bud and bloom in the spring: anemonies, primrose, hare-bells, violets, and purple orchis. Every spring, these beautiful flowers come alive again. Smith appreciates the beauty of nature and how it renews itself each spring, but is saddened that humans cannot do the same. "Ah, poor humanity! so frail, so fair, Are the fond visitors of thy early day, Till tyrant passion, and corrosive care, Bid all thy fairy colours fade away!" In these lines, Smith is speculating about youth and growing old. She feels sorry for humanity because unlike flowers, we age until our colors fade away, and then we never see those youthful, vibrant colors of our personalities ever again. At the end of the sonnet, Smith asks "Why has happiness no second spring?" Since humans are most happy when they are young and vibrant, she is basically asking, "Why don't humans have a second spring?" In a way, Smith is saying that nature is far better off than humans are, because nature has the ability to start over and become vibrant over and over again.