Poetry

 

When I came last to Ludlow by A.E. Housman When I came last to Ludlow Amidst the moonlight pale, Two friends kept step beside me, Two honest lads and hale. Now Dick lies long in the churchyard, And Ned lies long in jail, And I come home to Ludlow Amidst the moonlight pale. The speaker the poem reflects on when they "came last to Ludlow" suggesting that he is there currently. Ludlow is a town in England. On his last visit to Ludlow the speaker reveals that they were "amidst the moonlight pale". The moon is a feminine symbol. It represents the rhythm of time. Also, the moon reflects inner knowledge and the phases of man's condition on earth. It is the middle ground between the light of the sun and the darkness of night and represents the realsm between the conscious and unconsious, the soul. The speaker refers to the moon as "pale"  connoting that the light of the moon lacks intensity and brilliance. This connection possible suggests that the speaker cannot see clearly or lacking in knowledge. The speaker continues to state that two freinds accompany him, poeple he considers to be "honest lads and hale". They describe that the friends "kept step beside me" suggesting that these people are not only close in proximity but have a close relationship with the speaker. Their characterization of being honest connotes many descriptions including honorable in principles, truthful, and respectable. The speaker also goes on to state that their two friends are "hale" meaning free from disease or infirmity, robust, or vigorous. It is intersting that the speaker references their friends helath. I also think that their may be significance that the speaker walks with two friends. The number two is indicative of duality, opposites, and antithesis. It is also associated with the two natures of Christ, human and divine. If in fact these friends represent duality, this emphasizes their relationship to the speaker. I am not sure how this could relate to the ideas in this poem;however, there is an ABAB rhyme scheme present as well in both stanzas.The transition to the following and concluding stanza can be interperted as a shift. The speaker expressed in the first stanza that his friends were in good health; however, presently "Dick lies lon in the churchyard" and "Ned lies long in jail". Of his two friends, one has passed and the other imprisoned. It is possibel that the speaker is trying to reveal that he is lonely wiht both of his friends gone . He states, "And I come home to Ludlow / Amids the moonlight pale". I beileve their is an emphasis on I in this line as the speaker is now alone. There was once a time whenhis friends wlaked beside him; however, now he continues alone at light suggesting a somber tone. The repetition of the concluding lines with the introduction lines stresses the speakers state of mind as somber and melancholy. However, upon second thought this may not be because of the loss fo his two friends. He expresses the same town before his friends' death adn incarceration as he does after. This revelation suggests that the speaker was not affected by the loss of his friends. Is he twisted? Maybe  I am reading too much into this or perhaps not enough...