Analysis of the Poem Autobiography

Analysis by N. Mohsin
Autobiography, by Louis MacNeice

In my childhood trees were green
And there was plenty to be seen.

Come back early or never come.

My father made the walls resound,
He wore his collar the wrong way round.

Come back early or never come.

My mother wore a yellow dress;
Gentle, gently, gentleness.

Come back early or never come.

When I was five the black dreams came;
Nothing after was quite the same.

Come back early or never come.

The dark was talking to the dead;
The lamp was dark beside my bed.

Come back early or never come.

When I woke they did not care;
Nobody, nobody was there.

Come back early or never come.

When my silent terror cried,
Nobody, nobody replied.

Come back early or never come.

I got up; the chilly sun
Saw me walk away alone.

Come back early or never come

In his poem 'Autobiography' The poet has used a set form in this verse of eight stanzas and each stanza comprises of a rhyming couplet followed by a haunting refrain, 'come back early or never come. ' which is repeated through out.
There is also an unvaried rhyme scheme that is maintained right to the end, eg: aa, bb, cc, dd, ee, ff, gg .
We may attribute this strict adherence to the rhyme pattern as being apart of his strict upbringing by his father. And the deviation in rhyme in the final couplet ( which does not rhyme) also denotes his change of thought or decision to move on or break away.

The poem itself starts on a bright tone which reflects the happy memories of his child hood days.

'In my childhood trees were green
And there was plenty to be seen.'

The use the colour, green here paints a picture of well being and happiness.
Followed by the echoing sound of the refrain 'Come back early or never come'
This refrain which also carries a sinister warning with it, seems to haunt the poet even in later years so much so that even when the flashback of the happy memories come to his mind the echo of