Final answer:
Negative connotations in the poem 'Dreams' are conveyed through words like 'fear-frozen,' 'coldness,' and 'snowy,' which symbolize a sense of profound melancholy and enforced fallow-ness, indicating a deeper emotional or psychological state that aligns with the poem's somber mood.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the negative connotations associated with the images of a bird and snow in the poem “Dreams,” we can examine the use of descriptive words in the provided textual examples. Phrases such as “fear-frozen,” “coldness,” and “snowy” serve a dual purpose, acting as both physical descriptors and as metaphors for the speaker's emotional state. They encapsulate a sense of barrenness, emptiness, and lack of life or warmth that aligns with the negative imagery in the poem. These words suggest that the bird and the snow are not mere elements of nature, but rather symbols reflecting deeper emotional or psychological states, indicating a profound melancholy and enforced fallow-ness. Specifically, the term “snowy”, when used in connection to a “desolate” landscape or the “shuttered” mills, enhances the feeling of isolation and stillness that contributes to the poem's somber mood.