A thought re Eugene Fields poem 'Little Boy Blue' (Many of us read this in school in the 50s)

[bobbieinok]

Many of us think today has really pushed the limits to attempt to affect the heart. But check out Eugene Fields' poem 'Little Boy Blue' (2nd half of the 19th century).

The little toy dog is covered with dust,
But sturdy and staunch he stands.
...............

(Great apologies. I don'r know how to copy texts on this pad.)

[Put title in google and get many sources for the rest of the poem.]

Most modern attempts to create such an effect is kitchy. I think this poem avoids that.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. A link to the poem would be helpful.

Here.

http://holyjoe.org/poetry/field4.htm

[bobbieinok]

2. Thank you very much. Better link than one I found

[Ferrets are Cool]

3. ...

This poem is a bittersweet folklore written for children. Since its publication it has been read as a bedtime story. In the poem, a little boy is playing with his toys before he goes to sleep; then he places them away and tells them to wait for him until he returns. During the night, the little boy passes away for an unknown cause and his toys remain waiting for him. Eugene Field uses metonymy by personalizing the toys as Little Boy Blue's parents. He mentions a toy solider that is rusted and a toy dog covered in dust. The soldier and dog are symbols for the boy's parents, and the rust and dust are symbols for their loyalty to the little boy. Even as time passes, the love for their little boy never faltered. The line " Ay, faithful to Little Boy Blue they stand...Since he kissed them and put them there (lines 17, 24), is the proof that even after he died, the parents remained loyal to him. Since the boy can not come back to move his toys, they will remain there forever and that symbolizes the parent's endless love to their son.
It is a common misunderstanding that Field wrote this poem following the death of his son. The truth is that he wrote this poem a few years prior to his son's death, while looking for a rhyme. He was well-known for writing children's literature and this poem contributed to his collection. During Field's time, there were many epidemics roaming and children died often. This poem was meant to be a story for parents that lost their children. For any parent, the loss of a child is a life changing event. The impact that this loss has on a home is drastic. Family members might then go through depression, change their perspective on life in general, and could alter their behavior. Unlike expected death, sudden death has a greater impact on people since they are not prepared for such an ordeal. Field attempts to deliver comfort to grieving parents by using the following line "And as he was dreaming, an angel song awakened our Little Boy Blue" ( lines 13-14). This line symbolizes that the little boy is going to heaven. Here, we see the application of the post-puritan beliefs regarding death and after life. Rather than believing in eternal damnation, the conformed view believed in the union with God.

[MLAA]

4. Thanks for posting this.

[Ferrets are Cool]

5. YVW. nm