A.E. Housman

Alfred Edward Housman (1859-1936) was a popular poet and was born in 1859 in England. He was the oldest in the family of seven. His mother died on his twelfth birthday. He won a scholarship to St. John's College, Oxford. He began his life as a clerk. On the merit of his scholarship, he was lucky to secure a placement in the university college of London. In 1911, he became the professor of Latin in Cambridge. In 1936, he passed away in a nursing home in his sleep.

According to the above poem, it seems that probably an argument erupted between two brothers while they were at work and it resulted in one’s untimely death. The reason for this murder seems to be a triangular love affair. Two brothers loved the same young girl and fought for getting her hand and ultimately one brother killed the other.

The person, who was bidding farewell, was extremely shocked and refused to accept that he had done such a treacherous act. He addressed this ballad to the barn and stack and tree, his familiar surroundings, realizing the fact that he had already killed the only companion who had been there working in the farm along with him.

While bidding farewell to his familiar surroundings, the speaker brings out the feeling of urgency to leave the place immediately as he feels guilty. He bids farewell to his village, Severn Shore. Moreover, he requests his brother, whom he has just murdered, to look at him for the last time. It is understood that the speaker has decided not to return to his own village hereafter. He feels guilty conscious and highly irritated over the tragic death he has already committed.

"The sun burns on the half-mown hill,

         By now the blood is dried;

And Maurice amongst the hay lies still

         And my knife is in his side."

 The 'sun burn' being mentioned shows that it is probably noon time. While the 'half-mown hill' reminds us of the farming background and the country side, it is followed by an expression that it was a bloody murder, and it had happened somewhere early in the day, so that the blood was dried. The victim's name is introduced as Maurice and the murder is Terence, who is his own brother. Terence had committed the murder with his own knife, which he had left near his brother in a hurry to evacuate from the place where he had committed the crime.

"My mother thinks us long away;

         'Tis time the field were mown.

She had two sons at rising day,

         To-night she'll be alone."

        This stanza proves the point that they are brothers; the murderer and the victim. The speaker remembers his family, his mother, and obviously it is an impossible thing for him to face her ever again. He imagines with guilt how their mother will be waiting for her sons, who had left home that morning to mow the fields. In the morning, their mother had two sons with her, but today when the day ends, one of her sons is killed and the other has gone far away, running away from home in fear and guilt, unable to face the consequences of what he has done.

"And here's a bloody hand to shake,

         And oh, man, here's good-bye;

We'll sweat no more on scythe and rake,

         My bloody hands and I."

Remembering the times he and his brother have worked together, shared moments of both accomplishments and failures, as men who live together under the same roof in the same family, the speaker is even unable to say a proper heart felt goodbye. He would have never expected to bid such a farewell to his own brother, with such blood stained hands. He remembers that those moments are not going to be there again.

"I wish you strength to bring you pride,

         And a love to keep you clean,

And I wish you luck, come Lammastide,

         At racing on the green."

       

"Long for me the rick will wait,

         And long will wait the fold,

And long will stand the empty plate,

         And dinner will be cold.”

As he bids farewell, he remembers the festivals and celebrations that he had been celebrating with his family in the past. Why would he "wish" something for the dead person? especially, for the Lammastide or the racing on the green? Probably, it was the speaker’s imaginary thinking that his brother would at least enjoy and cherish the same things in his life after death. 

 He remembers all that he is leaving behind and going and also remembers that it is going to be a different life for him from now onwards. To make it more personal, he is also with the fear that he will even end up his life. To show that his return is never possible, he mentions the "long wait." But, the phrase also gives the reader a little bit of hope; a return after his suffering of guilt is over.