"Whistling their whims..."See in text(Text of the Poem)
The phrase “whistling their whims” emphasizes the lack of concern the robins—and the natural world in general—hold for the human world. Their tunes are rendered as “whims,” and the act of whistling carries a connotation of irreverence. The alliteration of the phrase allows us to hear some of the robin song in the language of the phrase.
"swallows circling with their shimmering sound..."See in text(Text of the Poem)
Teasdale uses alliteration (the repetition of consonant sounds) throughout the entirety of the poem. Along with the repetitive rhyming couplets, Teasdale’s alliteration creates a kind of symmetrical and consistent tone, calling to mind the sound of “soft” rain.
