William Cullen Bryant’s “ The Yellow Violet” consists of eight rimed quatrains. Each quatrain adds a piece of the portrait of spring that the speaker is celebrating in his song of beauty, modesty, alertness, and humility. First Quatrain: “When beechen buds begin to swell”

In the first quatrain, the speaker determines the time when the “yellow violet's modest bell” becomes visible in the woods; it is at the same time that the blue-bird may be heard, and all the buds on the trees are beginning to grow. The small bright flower then appears “peep[ing]” out from the leaves that had fallen two seasons earlier.

Second Quatrain: “Ere russet fields their green resume”

In the second quatrain, the speaker addresses the flower, telling it that he …show more content…
Third Quatrain: “Of all her train, the hands of Spring”

In the third quatrain, the speaker compliments the flower as being the earliest to bloom. He personifies spring saying “the hands of Spring / First plant thee in the watery mould.” And then he remarks that he has even seen the little flower showing its bright head by “snow-bank’s edges cold.” The speaker implies that the little flower is strong and adventurous to be able to withstand such weather.

Fourth Quatrain: “Thy parent sun, who bade thee view”

Then the speaker personifies the “sun” as the violet’s parent, who disciplined the little flower to endure the “Pale skies“ and “chilling moisture.” Such discipline has resulted in the flower’s taking on the same quality as her parent’s “own bright hue / And streaked with jet thy glowing lip.” The flower’s bright yellow color matches the sun’s and yet she also professes of streak of “jet” on her lip, declaring her individual …show more content…
Sixth Quatrain: “Oft, in the sunless April day”

In the sixth quatrain, the speaker supports further his claim that the little flower is humble as he chides his own failure to see it when other flowers were showing themselves: “Oft, in the sunless April day, / Thy early smile has stayed my walk; / But midst the gorgeous blooms of May, / I passed thee on thy humble stalk.”

The speaker confesses that when it is early spring and easy to see a tiny yellow blossom where no other flowers were showing themselves, he had gladly halted on his walk to take in the “smile” of the yellow violet. But after the “gorgeous blooms of May” hd begun displaying their glory, he had neglected the little humble flower.

Seventh Quatrain: “So they, who climb to wealth, forget”

Thus, the speaker observes that it is human nature to forget the more humble beings as humans “climb to wealth.” But now he feels remorseful “That I