Tintern Abbey: Seeing into the Life of Things What does Wordsworth see when he “sees into the life of things?” Remember that in the lines leading up to his portrayal of the “blessed mood” that gives him sight, Wordsworth has been pointing to the power of human memory and reflection. And the importance of memory and reflection are made plain by the shifting time perspectives in the poem. The poem begins with the speaker on the banks of the Wye for the first time in five years. At first the poet emphasizes the way in ....