The Livid Lightnings Flashed in the Clouds
The Livid Lightnings Flashed in the Clouds - meaning Summary
Spectacle Versus Inner Voice
Crane contrasts two ideas of the divine: a worshipper interprets thunder and lightning as a loud manifestation of God, while another speaker insists that God speaks silently within the heart. The poem pits spectacle against inwardness, arguing that true spiritual communication requires stillness and attentive listening. Its imagery of storm and hush underscores a belief that the sacred is found in quiet, interior perception rather than dramatic outward signs.
Read Complete AnalysesThe livid lightnings flashed in the clouds; The leaden thunders crashed. A worshipper raised his arm. "Hearken! Hearken! The voice of God!" "Not so," said a man. "The voice of God whispers in the heart So softly That the soul pauses, Making no noise, And strives for these melodies, Distant, sighing, like faintest breath, And all the being is still to hear."
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