Ice

The first symbol in the poem is ice, which represents coldness, both literal and emotional. To be like ice is to be without warmth, without life, and without feeling. Interestingly, it is Wyatt who introduces the idea of ice as a simile, while Petrarch writes that the speaker is, not "like," ice (2).

Wind

The wind represents complete freedom. The wind can blow anywhere it wants, without being restricted by any apparent law. This version of the poem introduces the wind as an image – the equivalent Petrarchan line refers to rising to Heaven, not above the wind – suggesting a particular emphasis on the concept of freedom here.

Prison

The most potent symbol in the poem is the prison, which represents the loss of freedom. This image appears in the Petrarchan original, but it is significantly expanded on by Wyatt, who himself was imprisoned twice in his lifetime...