To An Athlete Dying Young Essay

“To an Athlete Dying Young” by A. E. Houseman is about death and how young people have it easier dying than older people. The speaker begins the poem by describing a happy moment in the young person’s life. “The time you won your town the race / we chaired you through the market place;” (Line 1-2) When I read this first two sentences it was something I can relate because my team has won before and that feeling of joy that you get at the moment is worth all the obstacles. In stanza two, the speaker starts talking about the person’s funeral and how his death had a big impact on people. “Shoulder-high we bring you home/ and set you at your threshold down” (Line 6-7) Despite the sadness, the speaker has a way of making the reader feel comfortable
Also, it makes the story better because the hidden messages it has behind. “From fields where glory does not stay, / and early though the laurel grows/ It withers quicker than a rose.” (Line 10-12) In the lines above the speaker mentions a rose which are delicate and strong. When certain flowers wither it doesn’t mean it dies forever, it just a temporary thing because some of the seeds fall to the soil resulting a new sprout to grow and become better. In my perspective, the athlete might have died physically, but just like the colors of the flower will comeback it’s the memory of the “flower” will always be as vivid and colorful to its caretaker. “To an Athlete Dying Young” is a poem where the reader can view death of a young person differently and celebrate the beautiful things he did in life. This poem was something I could relate to because its talks about winning and leaving a mark in the world. This young man died young, but his name still remains. Some famous people have the problem of watching their name die first before them, but when famous person dies young is different because they don’t have to worry about that. People are going to remember their accomplishment and how they were as a