Does the word “comely” extend to include “lovely”?
Is it clear if the hills beyond are far removed and become farther away after sunset? “I
tend to think of it’s meaning simply as being “the right way, in the right place and time.”
Are they still using ‘comely’? I’m curious how people handle ‘comely’? Does it depend heavily on context, if other adjectives are used?
Does anyone vouch for the need for reading more than one paragraph?
As an Australian English speaker, the most common use of “comely” means bride. The image that comes to mind is an attractive girl, but nothing special – it doesn’t extend to ‘beautiful’ or’sexy’. What should it say in a poem? More a warm and friendly, approachable attractive or handsome. When is a girl (typically a girl) pleasant
to look at?
• Comfortable, suitable: a comely specimen
What is it like when I write something about hills? They are pleasant, with their high proportions. I think the hills in your text are attractive, so warm. And the use of comely indicates a hint of the slight yearning that they induce on the narrator.
So, I would agree with basic beauty and symmetry but I would disagree with “the right way, in the right place and time.”
