About The Poem:
The Ecchoing Green is a poem not merely about the sun rising and setting, but can also be read as a story of life and death, as well as innocence and experience. The poem explains that at birth, one is born into a state of innocence, and through life experience gain a tainted world view. After one has experienced these things, they no longer can live joyously in innocence. The only way they can achieve happiness and the sense of being carefree again is to observe youth in nature. That way they can reminise on their childhood and remember what is was like to know nothing about the world.
The Ecchoing Green
The Sun does arise,
And make happy the skies;
The merry bells ring
To welcome the Spring;
The sky-lark and thrush,
The birds of the bush,
Sing louder around
To the bells’ chearful sound,
While our sports shall be seen
On the Ecchoing Green.
Old John, with white hair,
Does laugh away care,
Sitting under the oak,
Among the old folk.
They laugh at our play,
And soon they all say:
“Such, such were the joys
When we all, girls & boys,
In our youth time were seen
On the Ecchoing Green.”
Till the little ones, weary,
No more can be merry;
The sun does descend,
And our sports have an end.
Round the laps of their mothers
Many sisters and brothers,
Like birds in their nest,
Are ready for rest,
And sport no more seen
On the darkening Green.
Pictures from: creativecommons.org