One of Longfellow's exquisite poems, The Reaper and the Flowers is an excellent example of the drama, word study, pure enjoyment and understanding found in poetry. So let us examine the first few lines of the poem.
"There is a Reaper, whose name is Death,
And, with his sickle keen,
He reaps the bearded grain at a breath,
And the flowers that grow between."
A reaper, walking in the grain and cutting it as he goes, with a keen (very sharp) blade. But the poet means more, for the bearded grain is the men and women have lived to a ripe old age and are prepared to die. But alas, the flowers that fall with the ripened grain are sometimes little children who die, although we would like to keep them with us.
"Oh not in cruelty, not in wrath,
The Reaper came that day;
visited the green earth,
and took the flowers away."
It was a young and beautiful Angel, not the hideous Death in black robes and hood scarce hiding his bony head visited. Expect as small words fall from our lips, when we read and understand, would we not know that those who die are happy in their new home?
Perhaps dear reader you are encouraged to read the remainder of The Reaper and the Flowers. If so, then our effort in this section has borne fruit.
Would you like to analyze another poem? Then let us briefly look at The Potato by Thomas Moore. What seems silly to some people, but not those who have a sense of humor, the whimsical conception of a potato with so independent a spirit usually spoils humor to comment upon it. But children will laugh when older people smile just from sympathy. So read it dear visitor.
I'm a careless potato, and care not a pin
how into existence I came;
If they planted me drill-wise, or dibbled me in,
to me 'tis exactly the same.
The bean and the pea may more loftily tower,
but I care not a button for them;
Defiance I nod with my beautiful flower
when the earth is hoed up to my stem.
Now answer this question with honesty. Would you have known The Potato was humorous if you had not been told so?
Many of the poems which may be selected from the navigation bar to the upper right are analyzed, like The Reaper and the Flowers. Our selections are written by this author, friends and some well known and not so well known authors.
In addition, most of the sections contain more than one poem. Hopefully the section titles will peek your curiosity.
There are other poems for other hours. Some day when you wish a bit of fun with your children you will find humorous poems in many books. Please find some which are "old" and new.
Between the two extremes are selections for all moods and all kinds of people. The things to be remembered are, that poetry must be understood to be appreciated; that it must be heard through the ears "mind" and to interpret by the light of experience.
Copyright:1986-2008