The poem begins with a reference to a “musing organist” (Line 1) who represents sleep or the creator of dreams and visions. The first stanza describes how he approaches slowly, as sleep does, and “builds a bridge from Dreamland” (Line 4) so that his “lay” (Line 4), or narrative poem, can unfold.

In the second stanza, the speaker continues with the theme of the noble, heroic quest, which is fueled by an idealism not only found in naïve “infancy” (Line 9) but throughout our lives. God and heaven are invoked, as well as their constant beneficent presence, despite our mundane and miserable human lives, our “souls which cringe and plot” (Line 11).

The “skies,” “winds,” “mountain,” “wood,” and “sea” are all natural elements of God’s creation, which in their steadfast and uplifting presence serve to contrast with the “faint hearts” (Line 16) and “drowsy blood” (Line 19) of mere mortals. This comparison between the strength and goodness of nature and therefore of God, with the pettiness and materialism of humans, whose main concern is making money from each other, forms the basis of the third stanza. Even religion can become subjugated to the greed of capitalism: “the priest hath his fee” (Line 23), and “we bargain for the graves we lie in” (Line 24).