To an Athlete Dying Young

1 Pages 216 Words

AE Housman

Reading this poem I had several different impressions. First reading it in a literal aspect I saw a child who ran races and perhaps won. Even if he didn’t win he was made to feel like a winner. “And home we bought you shoulder high” (line 4) this says they bought him home proudly but not necessarily that he won. Next something happens to the runner that makes him unable to run, perhaps old age but I think death because of the following lines: Will flock to gaze the strength less dead”(line26)

I also think there were key statements throughout to somewhat changed my thought pattern. In line 20 he says, “and the name died before the man.” This is saying that often as we grow older and began to change people forget all of the things that made us who we are. An example of this would be some older sports figures. Though the man lives own his life may be forgotten by many.

I guess you could also compare this to life. We are young and boisterous one day (such as the runner in the beginning) and as time goes on we began to somewhat fall apart as we continue further through the...