What is the main difference between the fountain and the well?

The fountain flows outward, freely and visibly—it gives without being asked. The well holds water underground, hidden and silent. Both have water, but only the fountain actually reaches the speaker. Wordsworth uses this contrast to illustrate that love, when unexpressed or unshared, is as good as nonexistent for the person who needed it.

Is the speaker angry at the person they're addressing?

Not really. The tone feels more sorrowful than accusatory. The speaker even emphasizes that the well of love is likely deep and will never run dry—he's not attacking the other person's feelings. The issue lies in the *change* of how that love is shown, not in claiming that the love itself has faded.

What does "poor" mean in this poem?

It refers to being emotionally impoverished. The speaker isn't discussing finances; he's expressing that the love the other person offered freely was his greatest treasure. Now that it has fallen silent, he feels deprived of something vital. This word serves as both the opening and closing of the poem, creating a frame around the theme of loss.

Why does Wordsworth repeat lines from the beginning at the end?

The circular structure — returning to "poor" and "fond Heart's door" — reflects the experience of grief, where you continually revisit the same painful truth despite your attempts to reason through it. It also conveys a sense of being stuck: nothing has changed, nothing has been resolved, and the speaker finds himself back at the beginning.

What does "consecrated Fount" mean?

"Consecrated" refers to something that has been made sacred or holy. The speaker expresses that the old love was more than just enjoyable; it was something he regarded with almost religious significance. By referring to it as a "Fount" (an old term for fountain or source), he ties it to the poem's main water imagery and elevates it beyond mere ordinary affection.

Is this a love poem or a friendship poem?

It occupies a middle ground. The term "Love" appears, yet the biographical details suggest a friendship—particularly the connection between Wordsworth and Coleridge. Poets from the Romantic era often used romantic language to express deep friendship, and Wordsworth taps into that tradition here. The feeling is genuine, no matter how you classify it.

What poetic form does Wordsworth use in this poem?

The poem consists of three six-line stanzas, each using an ABABCC rhyme scheme. The lines are crafted in iambic tetrameter, meaning there are four beats per line. This structure creates a steady, subdued rhythm that matches the poem's restrained, mournful tone. The consistency of the form stands in stark contrast to the emotional pain expressed in the content.

The Annotated Edition

A Complaint by William Wordsworth

Summary, meaning, line-by-line analysis & FAQ.

Read aloud in ~1 minOpen reading mode →

A person is grieving the loss of warmth and openness in someone's love for them.

Poet: William Wordsworth
Core theme: Loneliness

The PoemFull text

A Complaint

William Wordsworth

There is a change—and I am poor; Your Love hath been, nor long ago, A Fountain at my fond Heart's door, Whose only business was to flow; And flow it did; not taking heed Of its own bounty, or my need. What happy moments did I count! Bless'd was I then all bliss above! Now, for this consecrated Fount Of murmuring, sparkling, living love, What have I? shall I dare to tell? A comfortless and hidden well. A Well of love—it may be deep— I trust it is, and never dry: What matter? if the Waters sleep In silence and obscurity. —Such change, and at the very door Of my fond Heart, hath made me poor.

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

A person is grieving the loss of warmth and openness in someone's love for them. The love once flowed freely like a fountain, but now it feels cold and silent, like a sealed well underground. Even if that love is still buried deep inside, it doesn’t reach the speaker anymore, leaving them feeling empty.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

There is a change—and I am poor; / Your Love hath been, nor long ago,
Editor's note
Wordsworth starts with a direct expression of loss. The word "poor" serves two purposes — the speaker feels emotionally drained, having lost something that once brought them wealth. He quickly connects the poem to a particular relationship: it’s directed at someone whose love has shifted. The phrase "nor long ago" emphasizes that the loss feels fresh and painful, not dulled by time.
A Fountain at my fond Heart's door, / Whose only business was to flow;
Editor's note
Here’s the central image: love as a fountain. The fountain exists solely to give — it flows freely, without assessing what the speaker is entitled to. "My fond Heart's door" positions this fountain at the entrance of the speaker's inner world, creating a sense of complete intimacy. The ease of this giving is what makes it truly valuable.
What happy moments did I count! / Bless'd was I then all bliss above!
Editor's note
The second stanza begins with a vivid recollection of joy before the shift occurs. The exclamation marks express true emotion—this isn't just nostalgia wrapped in flowery words; it's an authentic shout of "I was so happy." The phrase "All bliss above" makes a bold statement: the speaker felt luckier than anyone else. The contrast with what comes next is intentionally stark.
Now, for this consecrated Fount / Of murmuring, sparkling, living love,
Editor's note
"Consecrated" transforms the fountain into something nearly sacred — this love held a holy significance for the speaker. The three adjectives "murmuring, sparkling, living" accumulate to evoke the sensory depth of what has been lost: sound, light, and vitality all intertwined. The line pauses on the old love before the jarring shift of the next two lines.
What have I? shall I dare to tell? / A comfortless and hidden well.
Editor's note
The rhetorical question "shall I dare to tell?" introduces a pause that amplifies the impact of the answer. The fountain has transformed into a well — still water, still love, but now hidden, unreachable, and providing no solace. "Hidden" is the crucial term: the love might be there, but it remains inaccessible, locked away from the speaker.
A Well of love—it may be deep— / I trust it is, and never dry:
Editor's note
Wordsworth refrains from accusing the other person of lacking love entirely. He acknowledges — even emphasizes — that the well of love is deep and inexhaustible. This generosity adds to the poem's pain rather than alleviates it. The speaker isn't angry; he’s merely pointing out that love, no matter how sincere at its origin, cannot assist him if it doesn’t reach him.
What matter? if the Waters sleep / In silence and obscurity.
Editor's note
"What matter?" is a question that carries a weight of quiet devastation. If love remains silent and hidden, its depth feels meaningless to the one who craved it. "Sleep" suggests a state of dormancy in the water—not dead, but also not alive for the speaker. "Obscurity" deepens the feeling of something that has completely faded from sight.
—Such change, and at the very door / Of my fond Heart, hath made me poor.
Editor's note
The poem ends by echoing its opening lines, forming a tight circular structure. The repeated phrases "poor" and "fond Heart's door" aren’t just filler—they illustrate the speaker’s struggle with the same pain. The shift occurs right at the edge of his deepest emotions, making it all the more unbearable. There's no resolution, only the stark reality of the loss reiterated.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

The tone is quietly mournful instead of angry or bitter. Wordsworth maintains a steady and almost measured voice, which adds to the authenticity of the grief—this is someone who has come to terms with a painful truth rather than lashing out at it. There’s a tenderness toward the person being addressed, even while expressing complaints. The poem never descends into self-pity or blame; it remains rooted in a space of sorrowful observation.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

The Fountain: The fountain symbolizes love in its most generous and natural form—flowing freely, giving without hesitation, vibrant and alive. It reflects what the relationship once was: abundant, effortless, and nurturing.
The Well: The well represents love that has changed due to withdrawal. It might still be there, even running deep, but it's sealed away underground—silent and out of reach. It symbolizes love that has turned private and is no longer shared.
Water: Water throughout the poem symbolizes emotional nourishment. When it flows, the speaker flourishes; when it lies still in silence, he feels dry and impoverished. The transition from flowing water to still water mirrors the poem's emotional journey.
The Door: "My fond Heart's door" appears at both the beginning and the end of the poem. It signifies the boundary between the speaker's inner self and the external world — the very spot where love can either flow in or be kept out. The fountain used to be right at that threshold; now, the well is sealed deep beneath it.
Poverty: Being "poor" serves as the poem's central metaphor for emotional deprivation. Love was the speaker's treasure, and its absence has left him with nothing. This word shapes the entire poem and lends a quiet, dignified weight to his complaint.

§06Historical context

Historical context

Wordsworth wrote this poem around 1806, during a time when his close friendship with Samuel Taylor Coleridge was noticeably cooling. The two had shared an extraordinary bond — creatively, intellectually, and personally — and their collaboration on *Lyrical Ballads* (1798) had transformed English poetry. By the mid-1800s, Coleridge's health was declining, his opium addiction was worsening, and the easy camaraderie they once enjoyed had turned into something more distant and formal. Most scholars interpret "A Complaint" as being directed at Coleridge, although Wordsworth never confirmed this. The poem is firmly rooted in the Romantic tradition, which values personal emotion as worthy of serious poetic consideration, and its straightforward language reflects Wordsworth's belief that poetry should communicate genuine feelings rather than adhere to ornate literary conventions.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

Wordsworth never directly named the person, but most readers and scholars think the poem is aimed at Samuel Taylor Coleridge, his closest friend and creative partner. By the time the poem was written around 1806, their friendship had become strained, mainly because of Coleridge's declining health and struggles with opium addiction.

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