"Miranda" by W.H. Auden

 My dear one is mine as mirrors are lonely,
 As the poor and sad are real to the good king,
 And the high green hill sits always by the sea.

 Up jumped the Black Man behind the elder tree,
 Turned a somersault and ran away waving;
 My Dear One is mine as mirrors are lonely.

 The Witch gave a squawk; her venomous body
 Melted into light as water leaves a spring,
 And the high green hill sits always by the sea.

 At his crossroads, too, the Ancient prayed for me,
 Down his wasted cheeks tears of joy were running:
 My dear one is mine as mirrors are lonely.

 He kissed me awake, and no one was sorry;
 The sun shone on sails, eyes, pebbles, anything,
 And the high green hill sits always by the sea.

 So to remember our changing garden, we
 Are linked as children in a circle dancing:
 My dear one is mine as mirrors are lonely,
 And the high, green hill sits always by the sea.

• AP Students: 

  What text from our year is this alluding to? 

  How do you know?

  Who is the speaker?

  Identify each character in this poem.  

  What is the tone? 

  What meaning does "as mirrors are lonely" convey?  Why the dissonant note?