Sonnet LXXII. Written In The Rainy Summer Of 1789.

This poem presents a somber lament to the month of June, typically associated with vibrant beauty and warmth but here depicted as suffering under cold, continuous rain. This unexpected portrayal creates a striking contrast, highlighting the poem's central theme of hope in adversity. The poet skillfully uses vivid imagery, like "radiant lilies" tarnished by rain and a "drench'd and heavy rose," to convey the sense of nature's vibrancy being suppressed. The gloomy tone is amplified by the description of June's days as "gloomy as the Winter's rigid sway," and "sunless, lingering, disappointing."

However, the poem is not entirely steeped in melancholy. The poet introduces the figure of "Fair Hope," who "still holds the promise of the Year." This personification is a beacon in the otherwise dreary setting, reminding the reader that even in the midst of disappointment, there is the possibility of brighter days ahead. The poem's structure, consisting of carefully constructed quatrains with a consistent rhyme scheme, serves to underscore this balance between despair and hope, creating a rhythm that mirrors the cycle of nature itself. The poem ends on a powerful note, with the "song-silent glades and dropping bowers" serving as a poignant, lasting image of the poem's central conflict between the expected joy of June and its grim reality.