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Comment 3 of 3, added on February 18th, 2009 at 11:16 PM.
I read the "boys of summer" to be young men at the end of childhood and on the edge of adulthood. By no means am I an expert, but have observations and ideas.
The speaker in part I is upset that the boys are not going to be children anymore. The speaker comments that the boys are not prepared for the change; they are willingly scared, doubtful; they are less emotional, colder in spirit, freezing over the hot, bright “pulse” of youth.
In part II, the speaker changes to first person, so the boys of summer are the speakers. The tone of part II is darker and louder, mentioning death multiple times, calling on death, causing death and destruction of nature. The phallic “pole” is a weapon, ironic and disturbing.
In part III, the speaker is no longer the boys; it might be a boy looking back This section is shorter, more quiet, and the boys seem to be dead, decomposing, burnt, ruined.
Kira from United States
Comment 2 of 3, added on August 24th, 2005 at 10:18 AM.
Sarah, I'm perplexed by its density. I'll take another go at it with your insight and see what happens. Thanks
Joe from Canada
Comment 1 of 3, added on May 23rd, 2005 at 11:44 AM.
I can not genralise the poem into one comment so I am going to talk about the first stanza.
It was said that Dylan Thomas walked past a beach and saw some old men sunbathing. It disgusted Thomas and he said "I see the boys of summer in their ruin" which would explain the first stanza. It was said he wrote a short poem about this which was how I see The Boys Of Summer started.
Sarah from United Kingdom
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I read the "boys of summer" to be young men at the end of childhood and on the edge of adulthood. By no means am I an expert, but have observations and ideas.
The speaker in part I is upset that the boys are not going to be children anymore. The speaker comments that the boys are not prepared for the change; they are willingly scared, doubtful; they are less emotional, colder in spirit, freezing over the hot, bright “pulse” of youth.
In part II, the speaker changes to first person, so the boys of summer are the speakers. The tone of part II is darker and louder, mentioning death multiple times, calling on death, causing death and destruction of nature. The phallic “pole” is a weapon, ironic and disturbing.
In part III, the speaker is no longer the boys; it might be a boy looking back This section is shorter, more quiet, and the boys seem to be dead, decomposing, burnt, ruined.
Kira from United States