This poem describes a soul who feels burdened by the presence of God and wants to avoid Him. The soul tries to escape to various places, both physically and spiritually, to avoid God's pursuit. In its escape, the soul experiences various things, including worldly joys and sorrows. However, wherever it goes, it always feels that God continues to pursue it, reminding it of His never-ending love and mercy. God, in this poem, is described as 'The Hound of Heaven', who pursues the soul gently but persistently. The soul feels burdened, but it cannot truly run away from God, because God is love and mercy that always follows it.