Pick a poem or prose extract that has left a deep impression on you. Write about why it left such a deep impression on you. Write about why it left such a deep impression and what you learnt from it. Include the poem/prose extract in your post.
I chose Childhood by David Bates
Childhood, sweet and sunny childhood,
With its careless, thoughtless air,
Like the verdant, tangled wildwood,
Wants the training hand of care.
See it springing all around us --
Glad to know, and quick to learn;
Asking questions that confound us;
Teaching lessons in its turn.
Who loves not its joyous revel,
Leaping lightly on the lawn,
Up the knoll, along the level,
Free and graceful as a fawn?
Let it revel; it is nature
Giving to the little dears
Strength of limb, and healthful features,
For the toil of coming years.
He who checks a child with terror,
Stops its play, and stills its song,
Not alone commits an error,
But a great and moral wrong.
Give it play, and never fear it --
Active life is no defect;
Never, never break its spirit --
Curb it only to direct.
Would you dam the flowing river,
Thinking it would cease to flow?
Onward it must go forever --
Better teach it where to go.
Childhood is a fountain welling,
Trace its channel in the sand,
And its currents, spreading, swelling,
Will revive the withered land.
Childhood is the vernal season;
Trim and train the tender shoot;
Love is to the coming reason,
As the blossom to the fruit.
Tender twigs are bent and folded --
Art to nature beauty lends;
Childhood easily is moulded;
Manhood breaks, but seldom bends.
This poems talks about how childhood is just like a free spirit, roaming and exploring. I feel that childhood should be unrestrained, just as how this poem has depicted it. This poem talks about what a wrong it is to instill a child with terror and fear, and even relates childhood to a flowing river using a metaphor. It is true that no matter how much we try we would not be able to stop a child from having fun and moving forward. Curiosity and determination will drive the child forward and keep him/her moving forward.
I would like to add that there is repetition through the poem to create emphasis. "Childhood is ....", which emphasises the meaning of childhood. Additionally, the poem states that childhood is "easily moulded", but manhood "breaks, but seldom bends". It shows that a child can be changed easily, and must be taught early, before he grows up to an adult, where he will be difficult to change. I agree with you about the fact that a child should go unrestrained. The poem compares restraining a child to damming a river. This creates emphasis and also imagery. The image of damming a river comes to your mind. You can imagine the water (the child's adventurous spirit) gushes at the dam, throwing itself on it, yet it only trickles over the dam slowly. This shows how restraining the child will affect him. Overall, I really like this poem, as it has a great use of metaphor, which entices the reader.
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