Historical: Old Ironsides was the name given the frigate Constitution. It was proposed by the Secretary of the Navy to dispose of the ship as it had become unfit for service. Popular sentiment did not approve of this. It was said a ship which was the pride of the nation should continue to be the property of the Navy and be rebuilt for service when needed. Holmes wrote this poem at the time of this discussion. THE BOYS OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES HAS there any old fellow got mixed with the boys? We're twenty! We're twenty! Who says we are more? Was it snowing I spoke of? Excuse the mistake! We've a trick, we young fellows, you may have been told, 20 25 30 35 40 That fellow's the "Speaker,"-the one on the right; That's our "Member of Congress," we say when we chaff; That boy with the grave mathematical look There's a boy, we pretend, with a three-decker brain, And there's a nice youngster of excellent pith,- of thee!" You hear that boy laughing?-You think he's all fun; Yes, we're boys,-always playing with tongue or with pen,- Then here's to our boyhood, its gold and its gray! HELPS TO STUDY Historical: This poem was read by Oliver Wendell Holmes at a reunion of his college class thirty years after their graduation. S Notes and Questions What was the "Almanac's cheat''? you think What catalogue do Holmes meant? How could it be interpreted as showing spite against "the boys"? How did the poet defend " 'gray temples at twenty''? What was the significance in early times of the garland or wreath upon the head? What do you think the garlands which the poet imagines his classmates "have shed" represent? Of what does Holmes say their new garlands were made? What might the new garlands'' represent? "Royal Society' What fancy does the poet carry out in the next stanza? What song did the "nice youngster" write? What is his full name? What word is omitted from the line of the song quoted by Holmes? How do you think Holmes felt toward the laughing "boy"? Why do you think so? Can you name anything besides "tongue and pen" with which men may be said to play? What time of life is meant by the "gold"? By the "gray"? How much of this poem is fun? Which stanza do you like best! Why? What do you know about Oliver Wendell Holmes from this poem? |