Gaffney examines John Shaw Neilson's poetry in terms of the poet's loss of faith in a harmonious universe. Shaw Neilson constantly turned to Spring as an inspirational source and this was inevitably connected to God. However, Shaw Neilson was troubled by the dualism of God and nature, making the search for harmony confused and the vision fragmented. Nevertheless, the poet's continued search influenced rare moments of mystical insight, fostering his belief in its importance.