Richard Wilbur’s "Love Calls Us to the Things of This World" is a profound meditation on the persistent tension between the material and the spiritual in human experience. Far from advocating for a simple embrace of worldly pleasures, the poem argues that it is precisely through our engagement with the tangible, the beautiful, and even the mundane aspects of existence that our spirits are awakened and called towards something transcendent. Wilbur masterfully employs vivid imagery of the natural and man-made world to illustrate this point, suggesting that a deep appreciation for earthly realities is not a distraction from spiritual pursuits but a necessary prelude to them.
The poem opens with a striking image: the “sun” that “goes into the sky” and the “moon” that “stands in the sky.” This celestial dance immediately grounds the reader in a natural, observable phenomenon. Wilbur then pivots to the domestic, describing a “little house” where a “maid” is “hanging clothes on a line.” The image of white sheets against a blue sky is a classic example of simple, earthly beauty. Yet, Wilbur imbues this scene with a spiritual significance. He notes that the clothes, “ripped and mended,” are “clean” and “pale,” suggesting a kind of purity or redemption achieved through human effort and care applied to imperfect material. The maid’s action, a quotidian task, becomes a moment of grace, a silent offering of the earthly to the divine.
Wilbur continues this exploration through the metaphor of the “angel.” He describes a “stone angel” in a graveyard, a common symbol of eternal repose, yet one that is imperfectly rendered in its materiality. This angel, “worn smooth by the rain,” is a tangible representation of faith and remembrance, but its physical decay points to the limitations of static, material devotion. The angel is also described as a “wingless” object, a creature of myth and spirit rendered inert by stone. However, Wilbur contrasts this with the living world around it. The “grass,” “flowers,” and “dust” are alive, part of a dynamic cycle. The poem suggests that the stone angel, despite its spiritual intent, is less alive, less representative of true aspiration, than the earthly elements that surround it.
The central argument emerges as Wilbur contrasts the static, material representation of the spiritual with the dynamic, sensory experience of the world. The “sun,” which “burns,” and the “wind,” which “blows,” are forces of nature that are felt and perceived directly. They are powerful, elemental, and intrinsically part of our worldly existence. The maid hanging clothes, the “chickens” that “cluck,” the “flowers” that “bloom” – these are not mere distractions from spiritual contemplation. Instead, they are the very substance through which our spirits are called to attention. The beauty and vitality of these things invite a response, a recognition of their inherent value and a yearning for the source of such beauty. The poem implies that spiritual fulfillment is not found by escaping the material world, but by fully inhabiting it with an open heart and discerning eye.
Wilbur’s concluding lines, “Love is the wish to be / In the world,” encapsulate the poem's thesis. This “love” is not solely romantic or sentimental; it is a broader, more profound affection for existence itself. It is the recognition that the beauty and order found in the material world are not accidental but indicative of a deeper reality. The poem, therefore, suggests that a genuine spiritual life begins with an appreciation for the "things of this world," for their inherent beauty, their resilience, and their capacity to stir our souls. The maid’s clean laundry, the worn gravestone angel, the powerful sun – all are facets of a world that, when truly seen, calls us towards a greater understanding and a deeper sense of purpose.