The Seed-Merchant has lost his son,
His dear, his loved, his only one.
So young he was, Even now it seems
He was a child with a child’s dreams.
He would race over the meadow-bed
With his bright, bright eyes and his cheeks all red.
Fair and healthy and long of limb;
It made one young just to look at him.
His school books, unto the cupboard thrust,
Have scarcely had time to gather dust.
Died in the war….And it seems his eyes
Must have looked at death with a child’s surprise.
The Seed-Merchant goes on his way:
I saw him out on his land today;
Old to have fathered so young a son,
And now the last glint of his youth is gone.
What could one say to him in his need?
Little there seemed to say indeed.
So still he was that the birds flew round
The grey of his head without a sound,
Careless and tranquil in the air,
As if naught human were standing there.
On, never a soul could understand
Why he looked at the earth, and the seed in his hand,
As he had never before seen seed or sod:
I heard him murmur: ‘Thank God, thank God!’
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Comments
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balance
From guest Caddy (contact)
it is a very balanced poem with all the lines between 7 and 10 beats, i think this helps the speaker when reciting and it makes the poem flow well. -
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Last lines
From guest Hughesy (contact)
I'd disagree that it is typical of homefront war literature. It doesn't really display the jingoism or patriotism that you would expect of someone without the knowledge of the trenches. The last two lines possibly relate to the seed merchant thanking God that nature or life always renews itself, in a way perhaps it is a reconcilliation for the loss of his son; that there is new life in the seeds and he still has his livelihood. -
Hmm.
From guest Emma (contact)
Does anyone have any suggestions to what the last two lines mean? I can't understand it, but i think it could be ambiguous? -
From guest STAR (contact)
This poem, which is fairly typical of home-front poetry, demonstrates the effect of the death of a loved-one. It carries a nostalgic and sad tone but at the same time it is restrained.
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