The solitary reaper was singing in her own mind, her feelings whilst cutting the grain and harvesting it. The poet, who happened to be passing by the Scottish Highlands at that time, had stopped in his way to hear the melodious tune. Though he could not understand the meaning of the words, as it was in the local Gaelic dialect, he sensed some deep inner meaning of the song; he felt as if she was singing some incident that had left a deep mark in her life. This romantic poet got so immersed in her singing, that he could not refrain his passionate feelings. He told the passers-by to walk gently or to stop and hear the heavenly singing of this lone reaper. It left such an impact on him that even after passing the highland where the maiden was her singing echoed in his mind and left an everlasting effect on his heart.