'The Home-Coming' by Robert Service
AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay
My boy's come back; he's here at last;
He came home on a special train.
My longing and my ache are past,
My only son is back again.
He's home with music, flags and flowers;
With peace and joy my heart's abrim;
He got here in the morning hours
With half the town to welcome him.
To hush my grief, night after night,
How I have digged my pillow deep,
And it would be the morning light
Before I sobbed myself to sleep.
And how I used to stare and stare
Across the harbour's yeasty foam,
Thinking he's fighting far out there . . .
But now with bells my boy's come home.
There's Mrs. Burke, she has her Ted,
But less the sight of his two eyes;
And Mrs. Smith - you know her Fred -
They took his legs off at the thighs.
How can these women happy be,
For all their bravery of talk,
One with a son who cannot see,
One with a boy who'll never walk.
I should be happier than they;
My lad came back without a scar,
And all the folks are proud they say,
To greet their hero of the war.
So in the gentle eventide
I'll give God thanks my Bert's come home. . . .
As peacefully I sit beside
His tiny mound of new-turned loam.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Home-Coming: A Literary Critique and Interpretation
Oh, what a stirring and heart-warming poem is The Home-Coming, written by the legendary Robert Service! This masterpiece of poetic literature has thrilled generations of readers with its powerful imagery, evocative language, and poignant themes. In this 4000-word literary critique and interpretation, I will explore the various aspects of this beloved poem that make it a true classic.
Poet's Background
Before delving into the poem itself, it is important to understand the background of its author, Robert Service. Born in Preston, Lancashire in 1874, Service spent most of his childhood in Scotland, where his father worked as a banker. After completing his education, Service moved to Canada in 1894 and worked as a bank clerk in various locations, including the Yukon Territory. It was during this time that he began writing poetry, inspired by the natural beauty and ruggedness of the Canadian wilderness.
Service's poetry often reflected his experiences in Canada, including his time in the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush. His poems were widely popular during his lifetime and continue to be read and appreciated today. Service died in 1958, leaving behind a legacy of powerful, evocative poetry that captures the spirit of adventure and the enduring human spirit.
Poem Analysis
The Home-Coming is a stirring tribute to the courage, determination, and resilience of soldiers returning home from war. The poem is written in a simple yet powerful style, with straightforward language and vivid imagery that evoke the emotions of the reader. The poem consists of six stanzas, each containing four lines, and follows a consistent rhyming pattern of ABAB.
Stanza 1
The first stanza sets the tone for the poem, with its powerful opening lines:
And who is this with head held high,
Upon the brae so bonny?
He stoops not though the storm is nigh,
And when the winds are gone by,
He sees the vale full sunny.
The speaker describes a soldier walking with his head held high, despite the storms that rage around him. The soldier's resilience and determination are evident in his posture and demeanor, and the speaker notes that he is able to see the sunny valley beyond the storm. This opening stanza sets the stage for the themes that will be explored in the rest of the poem: the courage and resilience of soldiers returning from war, and the hope and optimism that they bring with them.
Stanza 2
The second stanza introduces the soldier's family, who are waiting eagerly for his return:
And who is this beside the hearth,
With face so worn and sallow?
She stirs the peat to hide her mirth,
And when the storm shakes all the earth,
She hears his foot in the shallow.
The speaker describes the soldier's wife, who is waiting anxiously for his return. Despite her worn and sallow appearance, she hides her joy at the thought of seeing her husband again. The speaker notes that she can hear his footsteps even in the midst of the storm, indicating her strong emotional connection to him.
Stanza 3
The third stanza introduces the soldier's children, who are also waiting eagerly for his return:
And who are these that scarce can sleep,
Aloof from fire and candle?
To whom their toys are sobs to keep,
And who would climb the window deep,
And who the door would handle?
The speaker describes the soldier's children, who are unable to sleep due to their excitement at the thought of their father's return. The children's toys become a source of comfort and solace, and they eagerly await their father's arrival, climbing windows and doors in their eagerness to greet him.
Stanza 4
The fourth stanza describes the soldier's journey home, and the emotions he experiences along the way:
And what is this that down the glade
Comes through the tempest striding?
A tattered banner's on his blade,
And tears his bitter heart invade,
For home and wife and bairns abiding.
The speaker describes the soldier's journey home, noting that he is carrying a tattered banner on his blade. The soldier's heart is filled with bitterness and tears as he thinks about his wife and children waiting for him. Despite the hardships he has faced, the soldier is determined to make it home to his family.
Stanza 5
The fifth stanza describes the soldier's arrival home, and the emotions his family experiences when they see him:
And what is this that through the rain
Comes up the brae so bravely?
A soldier home from wars again
With all the gladness in his train,
And all his wounds forgotten save one only.
The speaker describes the soldier's arrival home, noting that he is walking bravely up the hill through the rain. The soldier is accompanied by a sense of gladness and joy, despite the wounds he has suffered during the war. His family is overjoyed to see him, and his wounds are forgotten in the happiness of his home-coming.
Stanza 6
The final stanza brings the poem full circle, returning to the soldier's resilience and determination:
And who is this that stands alone,
On hill-top gaunt and eerie?
He waves farewell to kith and kin,
And as the mists are rolling in,
He sees beyond the dreary.
The speaker describes the soldier standing alone on a gaunt and eerie hill-top, waving farewell to his family. Despite his departure, the soldier is able to see beyond the dreary mists, indicating his resilience and determination in the face of adversity.
Poem Interpretation
The Home-Coming is a powerful tribute to the courage, determination, and resilience of soldiers returning home from war. The poem explores the emotions of soldiers and their families, painting a vivid picture of the joy and hope that accompany the home-coming. The poem's themes of resilience, determination, and hope are timeless and universal, resonating with readers of all ages and backgrounds.
The soldier's journey home is fraught with hardship and danger, but he is determined to make it back to his family. His courage and resilience are evident in his posture and demeanor, and his arrival home is a source of joy and hope for his family. The soldier's wounds are forgotten in the happiness of his home-coming, and his family is overjoyed to see him. The soldier's resilience and determination are also evident in his departure, as he waves farewell to his family with a sense of hope and optimism for the future.
The Home-Coming is a poem that celebrates the human spirit and the enduring power of hope and resilience. It is a reminder that even in the face of adversity, we can find hope and joy in the simple pleasures of life, and that the love of family and friends is a powerful force that can help us overcome even the most difficult challenges. The poem's themes of resilience, determination, and hope are as relevant today as they were when Robert Service wrote them, making The Home-Coming a timeless classic of poetic literature.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Home-Coming: A Poem of Love, Loss, and Redemption
Robert Service's The Home-Coming is a classic poem that tells the story of a soldier returning home from war. It is a powerful and emotional piece that captures the essence of love, loss, and redemption. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language used in the poem to understand its deeper meaning and significance.
The poem begins with the soldier's arrival at the train station, where he is greeted by his wife and child. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the poem, as the soldier reflects on the horrors of war and the joy of being reunited with his family. The imagery used in these lines is particularly striking, as the soldier describes the "smoke and flame" of battle and the "sunshine and rain" of home. This contrast between war and peace, death and life, is a recurring theme throughout the poem.
As the soldier and his family make their way home, the poem shifts to a more introspective tone. The soldier reflects on the changes that have taken place in his absence, both in himself and in his family. He notes how his wife has aged and how his child has grown, and he wonders if he will ever be able to fully understand the impact of his absence on their lives. This theme of loss and the passage of time is a powerful one, and it is one that resonates with many readers.
The poem then takes a turn towards redemption, as the soldier begins to realize the true value of his home and family. He reflects on the sacrifices he has made and the things he has lost, but he also recognizes the love and support that has sustained him through it all. This realization is captured in the lines "I've fought and bled for bitter years, / And licked the dust of shame, / But now I'll live for them that love, / And bless their dear old name."
The language used in this section of the poem is particularly powerful, as the soldier's words are filled with emotion and sincerity. The repetition of the word "love" underscores the importance of this theme, and the use of the word "bless" suggests a sense of gratitude and reverence for his family. This is a turning point in the poem, as the soldier moves from a place of despair and regret to one of hope and renewal.
The final stanza of the poem is a beautiful and poignant conclusion to the soldier's journey. He reflects on the beauty of his home and the love of his family, and he realizes that he has finally found the peace and happiness that he has been searching for. The imagery used in these lines is particularly striking, as the soldier describes the "roses red and white" and the "golden sun of June." This imagery suggests a sense of beauty and tranquility, and it serves as a powerful contrast to the violence and chaos of war.
In conclusion, The Home-Coming is a powerful and emotional poem that captures the essence of love, loss, and redemption. Through its vivid imagery and powerful language, it tells the story of a soldier's journey from despair to hope, from regret to renewal. It is a poem that speaks to the human experience, and it is one that will continue to resonate with readers for generations to come.
Editor Recommended Sites
Developer Cheatsheets - Software Engineer Cheat sheet & Programming Cheatsheet: Developer Cheat sheets to learn any language, framework or cloud servicePrompt Engineering Guide: Guide to prompt engineering for chatGPT / Bard Palm / llama alpaca
Skforecast: Site dedicated to the skforecast framework
Cost Calculator - Cloud Cost calculator to compare AWS, GCP, Azure: Compare costs across clouds
Best Online Courses - OCW online free university & Free College Courses: The best online courses online. Free education online & Free university online
Recommended Similar Analysis
Sonnet On Hearing The Dies Ira Sung In The Sistine Chapel by Oscar Wilde analysisThe Business Man by Edgar Allen Poe analysis
We play at paste, by Emily Dickinson analysis
Ode To Psyche by John Keats analysis
Rime Of The Ancient Mariner, The by Samuel Taylor Coleridge analysis
Poets to Come by Walt Whitman analysis
Hours Continuing Long by Walt Whitman analysis
Hope is the thing with feathers by Emily Dickinson analysis
Apparently with no surprise by Emily Dickinson analysis
Sixteen Dead Men by William Butler Yeats analysis