Today

The first stanza of the poem begins with the phrase “If ever there were” (Line 1), which sets up the superlative aspects of the descriptions that follow. We know from this phrase that if there were in fact a perfect spring day, then the one the speaker is describing would most certainly be it. The speaker then moves directly into the descriptions telling the reader exactly what sort of characteristics this perfect spring day has. Line 2 begins the description with the gentle wind that comes in to “warm” the air. The warmth is a welcome shift from the chilled winds of winter, and the contrast of the warmth in comparison to the cold the speaker has gotten used to all winter inspires a flurry of exertion in “throw[ing] / open all the windows in the house” (Lines 3-4).

The house has been buttoned up against those chilly winds for the whole winter, but with this perfect day, the speaker wants to open all the windows back up again so that warm breezes can be ushered into the house. The phrase “throw / open all the windows” (Lines 3-4) has an aggressive nuance, as if the speaker has been released from the slow malaise of winter and the enthusiasm for the seasonal change is a bit overwhelming.