3. Explanation of stanza 1

  

The poem "The Comet" begins with the speaker describing the movement of a comet. He says that the comet "rampages through the heavens", suggesting that the comet's movement is fast, rash, wild, and violent. The word "heavens", on the other hand, signifies the presence of other celestial objects among the comet's path. As a result, the speaker states that the comet moves violently, passing through the heavenly bodies such as the sun, moon, stars, and planets in the sky.

 

While orbiting in space, the comet never pauses or takes a break. It moves day and night, circling the galaxy throughout its life. The lifespan of a comet is shorter than stars or planets, ranging between \(1000\) and \(10,000\) years, and it keeps 'rampaging without stopping day or night'. By stating that the comet works day and night, the speaker suggests that a comet could pass through our galaxy as we speak, irrespective of the time of the day.
 
Witnessing a comet in the sky would be a spectacle of a lifetime, claims the speaker. On average, people on earth can expect to see a major comet every five to ten years. However, it is never easy to spot a comet. Only a fraction of our world population had had the opportunity to see a comet. Moreover, a comet that comes too close to earth can put the earth in danger. One may not even live to tell the tale, as certain comets are powerful enough to destroy most of our planet.
 
Nevertheless, witnessing a comet in full flight would indeed be a "spectacle of a lifetime".

 

Meanings of difficult words: