They Ask but Our Delight

They Ask but Our Delight - meaning Summary

Scarce, Grudging Approval

This short poem stages a complaint about stingy response to genuine joy. The speaker presents “our Delight” and the “Darlings of the Soil” as offerings or sources of value, yet others return only a limited, charitable expression — a "penurious smile." The tone registers quiet resentment: pleasures or small treasures are undervalued, acknowledged only with minimal, almost miserly courtesy rather than full recognition or warmth.