"Three times..."See in text(Spring-Watching Pavilion)
The described sound of the bell tolling introduces a sharp contrast to the “gentle” tone established in the first stanza. The tonal shift suggests that organized religion with its attendant rituals is merely a disruption to true spiritual experience. This is the poem’s main claim.
The word “gentle” establishes a peaceful, pastoral tone. The tone is important to the speaker’s interests and purposes: spiritual enlightenment. As the poem progresses, the speaker introduces disruptions to enlightenment which also register as disruptions to the initial tone.
