And home we brought you shoulder-high.

From fields where glory does not stay

And silence sounds no worse than cheers

Of lads that wore their honours out,

The fleet foot on the sill of shade,

Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,

Dying young is considered by most to be one of the most tragic of fates. The specter of deeds not accomplished and a life unlived haunts the funeral "...set you at your threshold down" (Housman l. 7), and causes the g

The poem is easily understood and paints a vivid picture in the mind of the beholder through the simple diction and lyric beauty. The image burned into the eyes of the reader is that of a hero being paraded down the streets, remembered for his great deeds and accomplishments. "The time you won your town the race we chaired you through the market-place; Man and boy stood cheering by... Set you at your threshold... Fields where glory does not stay... Early though the laurel grows it wither quicker than the rose... Eyes the shady night has shut... Silence sounds no worse than cheers... Fleet foot on the sill of shade... Find unwithered on its curls, the garland briefer than a girl's" (ll. 1-3, 10-13, 15, 21, 27-28). One can not just stand in awe at the incredible picture painted by this great artist. With use of simple diction and a present rhyme scheme the images that can be painted in a poem are powerful and appreciated.

Housman is a truly exceptional poet. His purpose is to instill a sense of emotion, be it happy or sad, fear or love. He applies his simple diction as a tool to reach all people, not just the educated. His purpose and images are clear and so are his poems.

Housman truly followed what he felt. Housman believed that poetry should have a physical effect on the reader, a sensation akin to love or fear. "To an Athlete Dying Young" is interpreted differently by people yet everyone feels something when reading this exemplary poem. Fear is the most common sen

Some common words found in the essay are:
Athlete Dying, quicker rose, laurel grows, fields glory stay, fields glory, glory stay, withers quicker rose, glory stay laurel, silence sounds worse, sounds worse cheers, sounds worse, simple diction, withers quicker, grows withers, silence sounds, stay laurel,
Approximate Word count = 1003
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)