BHS e288 Chase's Cascade and Thomas Wentworth Higginson

In the poem, “Chase’s Cascade”, Higginson writes about the serenity of the waterfall. He relates how the sounds, sights and smells of the cascade connect him with the spiritual side of Nature, as represented by Undine, “the green-woods loveliest daughter”. In ancient mythology Undines are female water spirits. Undines can fall in love with humans but will die if the human they fall in love with is unfaithful to her. An interpretation of the poem could be that the cascade is represented in the Undine and the author is attracted to the spirit. The author’s time spent with the waterfall is wonderful but he does not know how he can leave her for the “common” world. He is torn because returning to society means hurting the Undine.