Make me thy lyre, even as the forest is:
What if my leaves are falling like its own!
The tumult of thy mighty harmonies
Will take from both a deep, autumnal tone,
Sweet though in sadness.
Ans The quoted lines occur in the celebrated poem “Ode to the West Wind” by the great Romantic poet P. B. Shelley. Here the poet implores the West Wind to make him its instrument of music. He urges the wind to bring out the music latent in his heart.
The wild force of the West Wind fascinates Shelley. He is fallen on the ‘thorns of life’ and feels that his creative energy has been lost. He is badly in need of some energy that can raise and inspire him. Hence, he implores the West Wind to make him its instrument of music as it has made the forest through which it passes by making a rustling sound. It does not matter if his youthful vigour is gone. The forest is also without the leaves in the Autumn. So, let the West Wind blow through his heart and bring out the music that is latent there. But the poet is aware of the fact that the wild force of the wind will produce sad string like the music of the leafless forest in Autumn. But the sad music will also have its sweetness. In other words, the poet will probably sing sad songs, but they will be sweet and melodious.
