What Does Beneath Heaven Mean

Through setting, symbolism, figures of speech and imagery the author of “Beneath Heaven” is able to relay her deeper thoughts and ideas on light and time. Hadley Taylor uses many aspects of poetry to create a bigger picture. The picture Taylor paints is one of amazement at the speed of time and sadness or disappointment for the lack of interest people show for things that are not immediate. With beautiful descriptions the author truly brings her point across and leaves readers questioning their own ideas of time and light. Beginning with the title, “Beneath Heaven”, readers can immediately start to get an idea of what the setting could be or predict where this poem takes place. Heaven, in most instances, is considered other-worldly,

In the first two lines the author compares light and thunder. It’s common knowledge that light moves quickly, faster than sound. The writer points this out as they are searching and waiting to see lightning or hear thunder that will indicate rain. In the fourth and fifth lines, the narrator then goes on to say, “we forget \ how slowly news moves across time.”. As they are consumed with the yearning and searching for rain, they seem to forget how slowly time really moves, how long it could take for that thunder or rain to travel to them. The next three lines really bring this point out in the open. After getting over the initial disappointment that there are no clouds in the sky, the speaker begins to consider all the dark patches, the “blotted paper”, where there are stars that have yet to shine their light. Stars and stories that have yet to be discovered. Stories that could bring more meaning and truth to the world than ever before. In the third stanza, after reaching this astounding discovery, the narrator goes back to the porch, where those watching for rain have given up on finding it. Even as they leave the porch and their chairs, they miss the wonder that is behind them. In lines twelve through fifteen Taylor writes, “...done \ for the night, while behind us \ like slant rain falling on \ past our planet, word arrives \ of new stars…”. While they are preoccupied with their need for rain, with their want for immediate results, they miss the beauty and wonder of the stars. The writer then goes on to describe the truly miraculous events happening behind those who had watched for rain. In the last three lines the narrator describes the light of the stars and the time it has taken to reach the ranch house. This light has traveled for millions of years, across immeasurable distances, and tells the story of