IX MILD THE MIST

 

Mild the Mist Upon the Hill 

Emily Jane Bronte (1818 -1848) was an English poet and novelist, best remembered for her only novel, Wuthering Heights, long considered a classic of English literature.

In this poem the blue mist that surrounds the distant mountains reminds the poet of the happy days of youth and childhood that she has left behind. As she describes the landscape, she shifts from the present moment to the past, and then to the present again.

Mild the mist upon the hill,

পাহাড়ের’ পর যে হালকা কুয়াশা

Telling not of storms to-morrow;

সে আগামীকাল ঝড়ের কথা বলে না;

No; the day has wept its fill,

না; দিনভর সে তার; সব কান্না কেঁদে নিয়েছে ,

Spent its store of silent sorrow.

ফুরিয়ে ফেলেছে তার দুঃখের সঞ্চয়।

Oh, I’m gone back to the days of youth,

ওহ, আমি ফিরে গেছি যৌবনের দিনগুলোতে

I am a child once more;

আবার আমি হয়ে গেছি যেন এক পশু;

And ‘neath my father’s sheltering roof,

বাবার আশ্রয়ী ছাদের নিচে

And near the old hall door.

আর হলঘরের পুরনো দরজাটার কাছে।

I watch this cloudy evening fall,

আমি দেখি মেঘলা সাঁঝের এই নেমে আসা,

After a day of rain:

সারাটি দিনের অবিরাম বৃষ্টির পর;

Blue mists, sweet mists of summer pall

নীল কুয়াশার ঢেকে দিছে গ্রীষ্মের ঘন মেঘের মিষ্টি কুয়াশার,

The horizon’s mountain-chain.

দিগন্তের পর্বতমালা।

The damp stands in the long, green grass

লম্বা সবুজ ঘাসে আদ্রতা দাঁড়িয়ে থাকে,

As thick as morning’s tears;

ভোরের অশ্রুবিন্দু মতো ঘন;

And dreamy scents of fragrance pass

সুগন্ধের স্বপ্নাবিষ্ট প্রাণ ভেসে যায়

That breath of other years.

যা নেয় অন্যান্য বছরের।

 

Explanation of the poem

This poem is a nostalgic reflection where the speaker is taken back to their childhood memories by the calm and misty atmosphere of a rainy day.

Stanza 1:

The poet begins by describing a mild mist over the hills, suggesting a peaceful and calm mood. The mist doesn't hint at any upcoming storm, showing that nature is at rest. The day has fulfilled its course, carrying a quiet, unspoken sadness. This implies a sort of emotional weight that the day has quietly borne—perhaps mirroring the poet’s own quiet sorrows.

Stanza 2:
The speaker experiences a powerful sense of memory, feeling like a child again. They're mentally transported back to their father’s home, a place of warmth, shelter, and emotional safety. The imagery of the “old hall door” adds a personal, almost sacred sense of belonging.

Stanza 3:

As the evening falls after a rainy day, the poet watches the soft, blue mist settle over the distant mountains. This evokes a dreamlike, serene scene and emphasizes the beauty and calmness of nature after the rain.

Stanza 4:

The final stanza deepens the sensory experience: the grass is damp with moisture, compared to the tears of the morning, adding a subtle emotional layer. The air carries sweet, nostalgic fragrances, which seem to whisper memories from the past, bringing back the essence of earlier times.