A Youth Mowing by D.H. Lawrence
Youth Mowing is a short story by D.H. Lawrence, first published in 1916. It tells the story of a young man, Tom, who is sent to mow a field for his father. Tom is a dreamer, and as he mows the field, he is filled with a sense of joy and freedom. He imagines himself as a great warrior, a king, and a god, and he revels in the beauty of the countryside. Tom's reverie is interrupted by the arrival of a young woman, who is also sent to mow the field. Tom is instantly smitten with her, and he begins to imagine a life with her. He dreams of a future together, and of the children they will have. The story ends with Tom and the woman embracing, and Tom realizing that he has found true love. The story is a celebration of the beauty of nature, and of the power of love.
By D.H. Lawrence · First published 1917 · Genre: Realism, Modernism, Romance · 144 words
First lines
THERE are four men mowing down by the Isar; / I can hear the swish of the scythe-strokes, four / Sharp breaths taken: yea, and I / Am sorry for what's in store.
The first man out of the four that's mowing / Is mine, I claim him once and for all; / Though it's sorry I am, on his young feet, knowing / None of the trouble he's led to stall.
As he sees me bringing the dinner, he lifts / His head as proud as a deer that looks / Shoulder-deep out of the corn; and wipes / His scythe-blade bright, unhooks
The scythe-stone and over the stubble to me. / Lad, thou hast gotten a child in me, / Laddie, a man thou'lt ha'e to be, / Yea, though I'm sorry for thee.
What this Textopian page supports
A Youth Mowing is listed on Textopian as a short story by D.H. Lawrence, dated 1917 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: D.H. Lawrence
- Date: 1917 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Realism, Modernism, Romance, Fiction
- Length: 144 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Youth Mowing by D.H. Lawrence
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Similar titles
- A Baby Running Barefoot by D. H. Lawrence
- The Greenwood Tree by Grant Allen
- The First Sight Of Green Fields by Charles Lamb
- Sammy by Francis Hopkinson Smith
- Snap Dragon by D. H. Lawrence
- The Enkindled Spring by D. H. Lawrence
Genres
- Realism — D.H. Lawrence's writing style is often associated with realism, as he often focuses on the everyday lives of ordinary people and their struggles.
- Modernism — The book's themes of alienation and the search for identity are common in modernist literature, making this an appropriate genre for the book.
- Romance — The book follows the story of a young man's journey of self-discovery, which could be seen as a romantic journey.
- Fiction — The book is a work of fiction, as it is a story that is not based on real events or people.
Tags
youth · nature · mowing · rural · coming of age · identity · labor · landscape · growth · self-discovery · innocence · experience