it is to be , in good earnest , a wintry storm . 1 it 2 is 2 is 3 to 3 to 4 be 4 be 5 , 5 , 6 in 6 in 7 good 7 good 8 earnest 8 earnest 9 , 9 , 10 a 10 a 11 wintry 11 wintry 12 storm 12 storm 13 . thus gradually , by silent and stealthy influences , are great changes wrought . 1 thus 2 gradually 2 gradually 3 , 3 , 4 by 4 by 5 silent 5 silent 6 and 6 and 7 stealthy 7 stealthy 8 influences 8 influences 9 , 9 , 10 are 10 are 11 great 11 great 12 changes 12 changes 13 wrought 13 wrought 14 . we , likewise , shall lose sight of our mother 's familiar visage , and must content ourselves with looking heavenward the oftener . 1 we 2 , 2 , 3 likewise 3 likewise 4 , 4 , 5 shall 5 shall 6 lose 6 lose 7 sight 7 sight 8 of 8 of 9 our 9 our 10 mother 10 mother 11 's 11 's 12 familiar 12 familiar 13 visage 13 visage 14 , 14 , 15 and 15 and 16 must 16 must 17 content 17 content 18 ourselves 18 ourselves 19 with 19 with 20 looking 20 looking 21 heavenward 21 heavenward 22 the 22 the 23 oftener 23 oftener 24 . now , leaving the storm to do his appointed office , let us sit down , pen in hand , by our fireside . 1 now 2 , 2 , 3 leaving 3 leaving 4 the 4 the 5 storm 5 storm 6 to 6 to 7 do 7 do 8 his 8 his 9 appointed 9 appointed 10 office 10 office 11 , 11 , 12 let 12 let 13 us 13 us 14 sit 14 sit 15 down 15 down 16 , 16 , 17 pen 17 pen 18 in 18 in 19 hand 19 hand 20 , 20 , 21 by 21 by 22 our 22 our 23 fireside 23 fireside 24 . however transitory their glow , they at least shine amid the darksome shadow which the clouds of the outward sky fling through the room . 1 however 2 transitory 2 transitory 3 their 3 their 4 glow 4 glow 5 , 5 , 6 they 6 they 7 at 7 at 8 least 8 least 9 shine 9 shine 10 amid 10 amid 11 the 11 the 12 darksome 12 darksome 13 shadow 13 shadow 14 which 14 which 15 the 15 the 16 clouds 16 clouds 17 of 17 of 18 the 18 the 19 outward 19 outward 20 sky 20 sky 21 fling 21 fling 22 through 22 through 23 the 23 the 24 room 24 room 25 . slow and sure ! 1 slow 2 and 2 and 3 sure 3 sure 4 ! very sad are the flower shrubs in midwinter ! 1 very 2 sad 2 sad 3 are 3 are 4 the 4 the 5 flower 5 flower 6 shrubs 6 shrubs 7 in 7 in 8 midwinter 8 midwinter 9 ! look next into the street , where we have seen an amusing parallel to the combat of those fancied demons in the upper regions . 1 look 2 next 2 next 3 into 3 into 4 the 4 the 5 street 5 street 6 , 6 , 7 where 7 where 8 we 8 we 9 have 9 have 10 seen 10 seen 11 an 11 an 12 amusing 12 amusing 13 parallel 13 parallel 14 to 14 to 15 the 15 the 16 combat 16 combat 17 of 17 of 18 those 18 those 19 fancied 19 fancied 20 demons 20 demons 21 in 21 in 22 the 22 the 23 upper 23 upper 24 regions 24 regions 25 . who reared it ? 1 who 2 reared 2 reared 3 it 3 it 4 ? and what means it ? " 1 and 2 what 2 what 3 means 3 means 4 it 4 it 5 ? 5 ? 6 " the shattered pedestal of many a battle monument has provoked these questions , when none could answer . 1 the 2 shattered 2 shattered 3 pedestal 3 pedestal 4 of 4 of 5 many 5 many 6 a 6 a 7 battle 7 battle 8 monument 8 monument 9 has 9 has 10 provoked 10 provoked 11 these 11 these 12 questions 12 questions 13 , 13 , 14 when 14 when 15 none 15 none 16 could 16 could 17 answer 17 answer 18 . on strides the tyrant over the rushing rivers and broad lakes , which turn to rock beneath his footsteps . 1 on 2 strides 2 strides 3 the 3 the 4 tyrant 4 tyrant 5 over 5 over 6 the 6 the 7 rushing 7 rushing 8 rivers 8 rivers 9 and 9 and 10 broad 10 broad 11 lakes 11 lakes 12 , 12 , 13 which 13 which 14 turn 14 turn 15 to 15 to 16 rock 16 rock 17 beneath 17 beneath 18 his 18 his 19 footsteps 19 footsteps 20 . such fantasies , intermixed among graver toils of mind , have made the winter 's day pass pleasantly . 1 such 2 fantasies 2 fantasies 3 , 3 , 4 intermixed 4 intermixed 5 among 5 among 6 graver 6 graver 7 toils 7 toils 8 of 8 of 9 mind 9 mind 10 , 10 , 11 have 11 have 12 made 12 made 13 the 13 the 14 winter 14 winter 15 's 15 's 16 day 16 day 17 pass 17 pass 18 pleasantly 18 pleasantly 19 . on the window-sill , there is a layer of snow , reaching half-way up the lowest pane of glass . 1 on 2 the 2 the 3 window-sill 3 window-sill 4 , 4 , 5 there 5 there 6 is 6 is 7 a 7 a 8 layer 8 layer 9 of 9 of 10 snow 10 snow 11 , 11 , 12 reaching 12 reaching 13 half-way 13 half-way 14 up 14 up 15 the 15 the 16 lowest 16 lowest 17 pane 17 pane 18 of 18 of 19 glass 19 glass 20 . the garden is one unbroken bed . 1 the 2 garden 2 garden 3 is 3 is 4 one 4 one 5 unbroken 5 unbroken 6 bed 6 bed 7 . but what dismal equipage now struggles along the uneven street ? 1 but 2 what 2 what 3 dismal 3 dismal 4 equipage 4 equipage 5 now 5 now 6 struggles 6 struggles 7 along 7 along 8 the 8 the 9 uneven 9 uneven 10 street 10 street 11 ? alas ! 1 alas 2 ! i shiver , and think it time to be disconsolate . 1 i 2 shiver 2 shiver 3 , 3 , 4 and 4 and 5 think 5 think 6 it 6 it 7 time 7 time 8 to 8 to 9 be 9 be 10 disconsolate 10 disconsolate 11 . whence come they ? 1 whence 2 come 2 come 3 they 3 they 4 ? where do they build their nests , and seek their food ? 1 where 2 do 2 do 3 they 3 they 4 build 4 build 5 their 5 their 6 nests 6 nests 7 , 7 , 8 and 8 and 9 seek 9 seek 10 their 10 their 11 food 11 food 12 ?