# Song explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Edward Thomas.

## What happens

The poet reflects on a bittersweet love where his tears and sighs are met with laughter, yet he cannot imagine life without her, and she professes love until death.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Loss

The poem contrasts the poet's tears and sighs with the beloved's laughter, yet hinges on a declaration of love until death.

### War and Mortality

The final line 'till she dies' introduces mortality as the boundary of love.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

The speaker who weeps and sighs over unrequited or paradoxical love.

### Emily

The beloved who laughs at the poet's sorrow but claims to love him till death.

## Key lines

> At poet’s tears, Sweeter than any smiles but hers, She laughs; I sigh; And yet I could not live if she should die.

The poet's tears are more precious than any smiles except hers; she laughs at his sorrow, he sighs, yet he could not go on living if she were to die.

_Highlights the paradox of love where pain and joy are intertwined._

> And when in June Once more the cuckoo spoils his tune, She laughs at sighs; And yet she says she loves me till she dies.

In June, when the cuckoo's song falters, she laughs at his sighs, yet she claims she will love him until her death.

_The cuckoo's imperfect song mirrors the poet's emotional discord, while her vow of love is shadowed by mortality._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_5_se/chapters/song
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_5_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_5_se/chapters