Poetry · Chapter
Sun explained
The poem reflects on a barren garden in Taos, questioning why three hearts in the same house are also barren, and who would dare to show ugly things to the sun.
What happens
The poem reflects on a barren garden in Taos, questioning why three hearts in the same house are also barren, and who would dare to show ugly things to the sun.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional peak occurs in the final line, "Tell them to leave you alone!..."—a raw, defiant outburst that s…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Nature and the Elements
The sun and barren garden symbolize natural and emotional desolation.
- Love and Loss
The barren hearts suggest emotional emptiness or loss.
Characters to notice
- Unknown
The speaker observes the barren garden and hearts in Taos.
Key passages
“That there should be a barren garden About this house in Taos Is not so strange, But that there should be three barren hearts In this one house in Taos— Who carries ugly things to show the sun?”
It's not surprising that the garden around this Taos house is barren, but it is strange that three hearts in the same house are also barren—who would dare to expose their ugliness to the sun?
The speaker contrasts physical barrenness with emotional barrenness, questioning the audacity of revealing inner darkness.
