The Reaper and the Flowers

While Longfellow wrote a Psalm about life, he also wrote the opposite: The Psalm of Death or mostly known as The Reaper and the Flowers. We humans don’t expect the unexpected and everything is not what it seems. Out of the four poems I choose to write about, this was my favorite. I had some mixed reactions to this poem. The Reaper and the flowers is mainly about death but we shouldn’t really be afraid. We have to let go at some point. When I first read the poem, I depict death as the fearful grim reaper that carries a sickle (“with his sickle keen, he reaps the bearded grain.”) and snatches the innocent lives of the flower. Halfway through the poem, I see death show emotions and regret when taking their lives. (“He gazed at the flower with tearful eyes, he kissed their drooping lips.”) In the end of the poem, The Reaper was actually an angel sent from heaven to take care of the child and seat him with the lord. The mother eventually will get to see her children in the future.

The irony in the poem plays a major role in the tone and development of theme. At first, the tone was sad and depressing. The reaper has come to take your child away. There is fear and uncertainty. Then the author goes on to tell you that it was really an angel who came to protect and bring the child to a much better place. The tone then switches to assurance and delight. It’s like going on a rollercoaster or a haunted house ride for the first time. You are nervous and scared but after the ride, you are glad that it’s done and can get it over with. It’s a part of letting go your loved ones for the better. This poem can be related to the subject of euthanasia. We question whether it’s ok to let go of our loved ones or have them keep suffering forever. The theme of this poem is that all things are not what it seems. Death is merciless. But behind the dark appearance is someone who expresses care and mercy. There is a whole different side to death, it brings light and heaven. Don’t judge by appearance or expectation.