Summary

The speaker cautions the reader against “knock[ing] on rotten wood” (Line 1), or putting one’s faith in superstition, and against gaining too much dangerous knowledge. They go on to state that while this knowledge can be seductive, some of it can be poisonous or contain unseen dangers. This is true of people as well, as some can appear like gentlemen or angels to hide their sinister natures. The speaker closes by saying that the revelation of secrets can be catastrophic, and so it’s safer to remain ignorant and complacent.

Analysis

“Admonitions” introduces its guiding idea right in the title. In this context, an “admonition” (related to the verb “to admonish”) means a warning, a reprimand, or a piece of advice against a certain practice or idea. The first line becomes one of the poetic form’s repeating refrains: “Oh never try to...