The Solitary Reaper

The Solitary Reaper is William Wordsworth’s poem about hearing a woman sing while harvesting alone in the Scottish Highlands. Comparisons with birdsong convey the strength of the impression, while questions about sorrow, history, and ordinary trouble acknowledge the limits of the listener’s knowledge. The work does not supply a definitive translation of her song. Its closing movement follows the remembered music after the speaker has left the scene.