"Merry, merry" (line 1), "Pretty, pretty" (line 7), "sobbing, sobbing" (line 10) in the poem create a very light mood that is associated with hymns as well as making the lyric seem like a nursery rhyme. The "sing-song" mood combined with the subject of the poem, being the blossom evokes happiness and innocence as it helps to keep the mood of the poem light. The repetition of "so green" also adds colour to the poem, which further highlights the happiness and innocence that surrounds it.
The repetition of "under the leaves, so green" and "near my bosom" enables us to see a connection between the sparrow and the robin and we feel as if they are linked.
Assonance
In Stanza 1 the "a" sound is repeated - eg. "sparrow", "a happy", "as arrow", "cradle narrow".
The "a" sound is merry and mirrors the "merry, merry sparrow", highlighting the light mood of the poem and the joyfulness.
In Stanza 2 the "o" sound is repeated - eg. "robin", "so", "blossom", "sobbing, sobbing".
The "o" sound has a glorious connotation, however also adds weight to what is being said. In this stanza it is used to perhaps highlight the "sobbing, sobbing" that is revealing a slightly deeper and heavier emotion, while keeping the tone quite innocent.
Personification
The personification of the "blossom" is seen as it is given emotions and feelings, "a happy blossom". The blossom also seems to have a "bosom", like a woman, which may suggest that it is taking care of the sparrow and the robin as they are "near" her bosom. The blossom always keeps the sparrow and robin close to her heart, and this suggests a close relationship between her and the birds.
Blossom also means to develop into something, and it seems as though the relationship of the blossom and the two birds is blossoming and developing as we can see in the poem.
The Title
The title "The Blossom" is plain, yet the imagery of flowers and beauty that it connotes is one that instantly evokes images of spring time and happiness. To blossom also suggests the development of something, which we later on find is the relationship between the flower and the two birds.
The significance of the blossom hearing the robin sob
It seems as though the blossom and the robin are very close friends, seeing as only close friends would cry in front of each other. This again enables us to see the close friendship between the two. The blossom may be crying about industrialisation and the destruction of nature, a theme that is constantly referred to in poems of the Romantic period.
Lines/Phrases that stand out as conveying the key message in the poem
"A happy blossom" (lines 3 and 9) - this line, which is repeated, sums up and reminds the reader of the joyful and light mood of the poem. It also gives the imagery of not only a beautiful blossom, but a happy one, which gives even more glory to the line. A blossom usually can also be when flowers are produced or are growing, which is like the start of a new life. This further highlights the innocence that we feel throughout the poem.
"Near my bosom" (lines 6 and 12) - this line is also repeated in both stanzas of the poem and it is important as it shows just how intimate the friendship between the two birds and the blossom is.
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