Can anyone interpret the meaning of this poem?

Question

The Coach of life

Although her load is sometimes heavy,
The coach moves at an easy pace;
The dashing driver, gray-haired time
Drives on, secure upon his box.

At dawn we gaily climb aboard her
We're ready for a crazy ride,
And scorning laziness and languor, A
We shout: "Get on, there! Don't delay!'

But midday finds our courage wane,
We're shaken now: and at this hour
Both hills and dales inspire dread.
We shout: "Hold on, drive slower, fool!"

The coach drives on just as before;
By eve we are used to it,
And doze as we attain our inn.
While Time just drives the horses on.

Answer 1

The driver is time so the coach is our lives. When we are young we sre eager and impatient. We rush through life not always appreciating it as we go. Then when we are middle aged we want time to go by slower. The ride at that point has seemed too short and we dont like the idea of getting older. Then when we are old we have become used to the idea that our ride is almost over and have hopefully made peace with it.

that's my interpretation.

Answer 2

Its a man's remembering and honoring his father and the times they shared. The last line seems cut off, as if the poem takes another turn here. I wouldn't be surprised if a tragedy took place in the next section and most likely a positive resolution at the end. The beginning indicates a reflection from old age, so this may be a portrayal of a lifetime's experiences.

Answer 3

Its symbolic of life....

dawn represents childhood: when we are kids, everything is easy, fun, and we cant wait to grow up

midday represents mid-life : we start to get tired of life, life is harder, and we start to look back on the past, wish we were young again, and we realize how fast time passes, so we wish it would slow down

But as the last stanza addresses, the coach, which represents our life, continues on at the same fast pace and never slows down for us.


The overall theme: when we are little, all we want is to grow up, and for the years to fly by . But once we're grown, we realize how precious time is and that we only have so long to live

Answer 4

Its about our day...

even though days may be a burden we cant stop it, time never stops 'driving'

in the morning we are eager about the day hence the 'get on there don't delay'

by midday we are tired because of all the things life throw at us... school/work also it seems like if we are running out of time and won't meet dead lines. Hence the " hold on, drive slower, fool!" refering to the 'driver' time.

'The coach drives on as just before' every day follows a pattern and is mainly the same...

and by the evening time we are ready to sleep... but time never stops.. it just goes on.

There you go! :)
Thats what i think it is about.

Answer 5

It is a metaphor, a comparison, for life, the progression of it. The first is an introduction, saying that life changes, so often, the second is representing childhood, and wishing to be an adult, the third is adulthood, approaching elder age, and you are more cautious, and the third, when you are old, and used to life, and what it contains, or the carriage ride.

Answer 6

The coach ride is a metaphor for life !! gray-haired father time...drives on....early in the day we hurry and hope for excitement ahead(early in life as well)....as the day moves on we tire and wish for a slower smoother pace( as in mid-life)....by twilight time we know we will rest soon(death awaits us all)...then night comes(our own passing)...and time forges on without us. A day in the life and/ or a lifetime- in the same poem...I found this an interesting poem.......reminds me of one of my favorites.....Because I could not stop for death,he kindly stopped for me, the carriage held but just ourselves and immortality. Emily Bronte (i think...the memory is 1st to go)

Answer 7

Here's Pushkin's poem in the original Russian:

Хоть тяжело под час в ней бремя,
Телега на ходу легка;
Ямщик лихой, седое время,
Везет, не слезит с облучка.

С утра садимся мы в телегу;
Мы рады голову сломать
И, презирая лень и негу,
Кричим: пошел!......

Но в полдень нет уж той отваги;
Порастрясло нас; нам страшней
И косогоры и овраги;
Кричим: полегче, дуралей!

Катит по прежнему телега;
Под вечер мы привыкли к ней
И дремля едем до ночлега -
А время гонит лошадей.

The coach is the metaphor for our passage through life. We begin full of zest and enthusiasm for adventure; by middle age, we're much more cautious and afraid. In old age, having weathered the bumpy road of life and survived, we simply lean back, doze and await the end.

Answer 8

It's all about life.

Dawn: early years
Midday: Middle Age
Eve: Elderly

Pushkin always uses a lot of symbolism.

Answer 9

two people are togeather. they want things to be all calm and relaxed. they want to take their time. but the time keeps flying by all fast, like the guy driving the coach. so the 2 people say screw it, and just take a nap and let time pass them by..thats what I got outta it anyways.

Answer 10

I think it means whenever something bad occurs you need to push through it. When your faced with a lifethretning stituation you just need to stay strong and tough it out