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Comment 9 of 9, added on May 25th, 2006 at 10:24 PM.
A.E. Housman presents the merits of passing away in one’s prime in “To an Athlete Dying Young.” When one reads the first stanza, it is noticed that an athlete has won a race “And home we brought you shoulder-high” (line 4). In the second stanza, he is also brought home shoulder-high, but instead of it being a victory, it is a funeral procession. The speaker then seems to praise the young athlete who has died by stating, “Now you will not swell the rout/Of lads that wore their honors out” (lines17-18). The young athlete will be remembered as a winner since he died at his peak, instead of dying old and being forgotten. Housman’s use of a simple rhyme scheme of aabb… sets the simplicity of the poem. The poem also happens to be an apostrophe, because a dead person is addressed as if the person were alive
joe from United States
Comment 8 of 9, added on May 25th, 2006 at 5:14 PM.
This is one of only two poems that I remember from high school. It's concept has come back to me many times. twenty years later I finally took the time to look it up. It rings true.
Michelle
Comment 7 of 9, added on May 4th, 2006 at 10:33 AM.
I am writing a critic paper for english on this poem and I don't like it. Housman's idea in this poem is that it is good for an athlete to die young because then he won't have to feel the pain of being forgotten. Who would ever say that early death was good?
Sami from United States
Comment 6 of 9, added on April 10th, 2006 at 7:54 AM.
I agree with Amachmid that is so true lets chat buddy!!!
Beenie Bongg from Canada
Comment 5 of 9, added on April 10th, 2006 at 7:47 AM.
this poem is very very very splendiferious. it makes my mouth water for...water. I think this may be the answer to life as it is. AE Housman is a god...in my pants.
amachmid from Azerbaijan
Comment 4 of 9, added on March 28th, 2006 at 1:06 PM.
I think that this is a good poem also, when i read it for the first time i also agreed with the view that this poem was about a great athlete that physically died young. but as i read it more over i realized that there are hidden clues in this poem that could hint towards the idea that this poem is about a young athlete who accomplished something but after time his name died because it was "old news" and possibly other athletes broke his record. i think that this poem could give the idea of "15 minutes of fame". especially with the line "and the name died before the man".
Cathy from United States
Comment 3 of 9, added on December 28th, 2005 at 4:23 PM.
The poem brings tears to my eyes more than twenty years after the death of my talented fifteen-year-old son. Like the boy in Housman's poem, he did not wear his honours out.
I'm impressed by the repeated motif of "shoulder-high." The poem is not corny. You have to interpret it in the light of language over a century ago.
Anne
Comment 2 of 9, added on October 10th, 2005 at 7:38 PM.
This poem is true in so many ways. Its strange to think that the boy will be remembered more because he died young.
Audrey from United States
Comment 1 of 9, added on August 24th, 2005 at 5:04 PM.
This is such a powerful, timeless work. I know it's corny but after I read it I am speechless and the thing I can think of to say is "wow".
Jordan from United States
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Copyright © 2003-2008 Gunnar Bengtsson, Poetry Connection. All Rights Reserved.
A.E. Housman presents the merits of passing away in one’s prime in “To an Athlete Dying Young.” When one reads the first stanza, it is noticed that an athlete has won a race “And home we brought you shoulder-high” (line 4). In the second stanza, he is also brought home shoulder-high, but instead of it being a victory, it is a funeral procession. The speaker then seems to praise the young athlete who has died by stating, “Now you will not swell the rout/Of lads that wore their honors out” (lines17-18). The young athlete will be remembered as a winner since he died at his peak, instead of dying old and being forgotten. Housman’s use of a simple rhyme scheme of aabb… sets the simplicity of the poem. The poem also happens to be an apostrophe, because a dead person is addressed as if the person were alive
joe from United States