Does anyone know the meaning of this poem?

Question

It was writtten by A. E. Housman:

Here dead we lie
Because we did not choose
To live and shame the land
From which we sprung.

Life, to be sure,
Is nothing much to lose,
But young men think it is,
And we were young.

I have some ideas, but I don't quite seem to get its full meaning. Also if you know when it was written, please let me know, I'll be very thankful.

Answer 1

Well, on the one hand a poem doesn't have just one meaning: There is the meaning that the author had in mind, which may be those ten paragraphs of history, but which we cannot know completely. On the other hand there is the meaning that is simply what the poem means to you, what it evokes in you, once you have made some sort of sense of it. Sure, it might have been written about the civil war (or did they say WWII?) but were you alive for that? If it does seem like a war theme, you might think about the Iraq war. Or maybe it means something quite different to you. For instance to one member it seemed like a suicide note. That's one interpretation, one meaning.

If this is for a class, your teacher may however be looking only for the meaning of the author of the poem. That research has been done here already. But remember you can have it mean something different for yourself too. That's the beauty of poetry. It's like a painting, especially modern art; or a piece of music. How often do you know 'why' Mozart wrote a certain sonata? Can you enjoy it and can it mean something to you though you don't know this? Yes.

To me it seems like it is a sad reflection of having died without having best used a short life that felt so long. Like to me, people who work for their retirement all their life and croak at 60 without ever having had fun.

Answer 2

This poem is written by A.E Housman. Alfred Edward Housman was born in Fockbury, Worcestershire, England, on March 26, 1859.This is a poem about war.

Try Google for more information.

Answer 3

It refers to so-called draft dodgers during any war.

The "speaker" of the first strophe of the poem is one of the young men who died in it and who now laments not having become a draft dodger even though he would have shamed his country by doing so.

In the second strophe the "speaker" is one who DID dodge the draft and has some regrets now. Yet he justifies his actions by saying that he was young and therefore maybe took the wrong decision.

The argument is that whatever decision you take, there may always come a time when you may come to regret it. "Damned if you do, damned if you do'nt!"

Answer 4

Housman lived during the late 1800's.

I'm assuming it has to do with war and the arrogance and righteousness of youth. The young go off to war to fight for a cause believing in that cause they are fighting for. As you get older and become more jaded and cynical you realize what that "cause" you were fighting for really was/is........ it wasn't what "they" told you were fighting for.

So as an old man he sits there and reflects back on all the young men who died that were his friends needlessly for a false cause.

Understand?

Answer 5

i think it means that we have desecrated the earth-(shamed the land) and may die because of it. and it is saying that to die is not a great loss but younger people worry about it more then older people do

Answer 6

My first thoughts were, young soilders. Fighting for their country, perhaps the soilders were from another country other than the USA.

Answer 7

War........soldiers lying in waste in their graves from fighting for their country valiantly, only to come to this ridiculous era "the bush is burning us big time"

Answer 8

it is embarassing because they chose to die for nothing. no accomplishments


since they were young they take things for granted and did not live a noble one.

just my thoughts.

Answer 9

This poem sounds like, people are going to die, which they didn't choose to.

Answer 10

i think that it means that this is our life and we cant do anything about what happens in our future....we dont choose when we live or die