On the Downs by Edith Nesbit (1902)
The story is set on a rainy day in the countryside, where the narrator reminisces about happier times when the moon was bright and the air was filled with the sweet scent of thyme. The sheep are now huddled together for shelter, and the wind howls across the barren landscape. The narrator wonders if the past was truly as idyllic as remembered, but the harsh reality of the present seems to deny it.
By Edith Nesbit · First published 1902 · Genre: Poetry, Romantic, Pastoral · 241 words
First lines
The little moon is dead, Drowned in the flood of rain That drips from roof of byre and shed, And splashes in the lane: The leafless lean-flanked lane where last year's leaves are spread.
The sheep cower in the fold, Where the rain beats them blind, Where scarce the rotten hurdles hold Against the weary wind That moans with angry tears across the pathless wold.
Dim lights across the down Show where the lone farms lie, The twisted trees have lost their brown, Are black against the sky, And far below blink lights, gay lights of Brighton town.
What this Textopian page supports
On the Downs is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edith Nesbit, dated 1902 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Edith Nesbit
- Date: 1902 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Romantic, Pastoral
- Length: 241 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
- Shepherds All And Maidens Fair by Edith Nesbit
- The Heart Of Joy by Edith Nesbit
- Special Pleading by Edith Nesbit
- Ebb Tide by Edith Nesbit
- From The Tuscan by Edith Nesbit
- Out Of The Fulness Of The Heart The Mouth Speaketh by Edith Nesbit
Genres
- Poetry — The text is written in verse form, with a rhythmic structure and frequent use of poetic devices such as imagery and metaphor.
- Romantic — The text explores themes of nature, emotion, and nostalgia, common in Romantic literature.
- Pastoral — The text focuses on rural life and landscapes, typical of the Pastoral genre.
Tags
Classic Literature · Children's Fiction · Family Relationships · Coming of Age · Social Class · Poverty · Wealth · Inequality · Childhood Innocence · Growing Up · Friendship · Adventure