To An Athlete Dying Young- A.E. Housman

The time you won your town the race
We chaired you through the market-place;
Man and boy stood cheering by,
And home we brought you shoulder-high.

To-day, the road all runners come,
Shoulder-high we bring you home,
And set you at your threshold down,
Townsman of a stiller town.

Smart lad, to slip betimes away
From fields were glory does not stay
And early though the laurel grows
It withers quicker than the rose.

Eyes the shady night has shut
Cannot see the record cut,
And silence sounds no worse than cheers
After earth has stopped the ears:

Now you will not swell the rout
Of lads that wore their honours out,
Runners whom renown outran
And the name died before the man.

So set, before its echoes fade,
The fleet foot on the sill of shade,
And hold to the low lintel up
The still-defended challenge-cup.

And round that early-laurelled head
Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,
And find unwithered on its curls
The garland briefer than a girl's.

First Instinct

          After reading through the poem by Housman, my reaction to the poem was that it is about an athlete that received some form of glory. Even though he has received this glory, the athlete is told not brag about it. The athlete cannot brag about to accomplishment because somebody else could beat him. Once some other individuals beats him, he will go unnoticed until the athlete beats another record.

Paraphrasing

When you won the town the race
We carried you through the town square;
Everybody was there cheering,
And you went home with high shoulders.

Today, all runner come down the road,
We brought you home with high shoulders
And set you down at your sill,
Town’s citizens of a quitter town.

Brilliant lads, to slide bedtime away
From arenas were glory does not last
And early though the praise grows
It dies faster than a rose.

Eyes of the night have closed
Cannot see the record.
And the silent sound are no worse than cheers
After world has ceased the ears;

Now you won’t bulge the defeat
Of boys that used their honor out,
Runner whose fame outran
And their name dies before they do.

So stop, before the echoing stops,
The runner foot on the ledge of shade,
And hold to the low beam up
The defended competition cup.

And round early praises are heard
Will gather to take observe the dead,
And find undead on the curls
The chaplet short-lived then a girl’s

SWIFTT      

Syntax/ Word: After reading through the poem, readers can realize that there are four stanzas. Each stanza is a whole sentence. This structure allows the readers to clearly understand Housman’s opinion of each topic discussed in the stanza.

Imagery: Once the readers, analyze the poem Housman uses the image of a dead athlete to portray is purpose for writing the poem. The image of the dead athlete allows the readers to visual the athlete meaning on to the next stage of his life. Once the readers envision the athlete has moved on, they realize that athlete has died before his glory dies. Now that the athlete has died, his or her glory will never died.

Figurative: After further analyzing the poem, the readers can conclude that Housman did not use forms of figurative language in his poem “To an Athlete Dying Young.”

Tone: After analyzing the poem, readers can assume that there are two main tones within the poem. The first tone in the poem is dull. This is the first tone because in the athlete has died young. Second tone in the poem is satisfaction. There is a sense of satisfaction because the athlete has accomplished a certain goal he or she wanted. Also since the athlete has died young, they will always be remembered for accomplishing this goal.

Theme: After analyzing the poem, readers can assume that the main theme of the poem is glory does not last long. Readers can assume this because throughout the poem Housman mentions an athlete should not brag about their accomplishments. They should not brag about their accomplishment because there is always another athlete trying to beat their accomplishment.

Conclusion

          After analyzing the poem “To an Athlete Dying Young” by Housman the readers can conclude what his true meaning for writing the poem was. Once I analyzed the poem, I can conclude that my first reaction to the poem was correct. The poem is about an athlete who dies young. The athlete accomplishes a goal then is told not to brag about accomplishing it. He or she is told not to brag because glory fades because other athletes are always accomplishing greater goals.