Escape by Fannie Stearns Davis
"Escape" by Fannie Stearns Davis is a poem that explores themes of existential confusion and the desire for liberation from life's burdens. The speaker grapples with the incomprehensibility of human experiences such as love, loss, and death, expressing frustration at the inability to understand God's intentions for the world and themselves. In response to this confusion, the speaker seeks solace in nature, choosing to embrace the simplicity and freedom it offers. The poem contrasts the complexity of human emotions with the uncomplicated beauty of the natural world, symbolized by elements like the wind, hills, apple trees, and waterfalls. These natural elements provide a temporary escape from the inevitability of death and the constant sorrow that plagues the speaker. Ultimately, the poem reflects a yearning for a carefree existence, even if only for a brief moment, as a means to cope with life's uncertainties.
By Fannie Stearns Davis · First published 1912 · Genre: Philosophical Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Pastoral Poetry · 135 words
First lines
Now since I cannot make it out: Why people love and lose and die; Why there is agony and doubt, And so much cause to brood and cry;
Oh, since I cannot understand God's will for all the world, and me, -- I will go take the wind's cold hand, And dance a little, foolishly.
The hills are green and simple folk; The wind is quick with comrade-calls; White wayside apple-trees, and smoke Of woodfires, and bright waterfalls, --
They never bid me understand. They never say, "You, too, must die. " I will go take the wind's cold hand. God knows, I cannot always cry!
What this Textopian page supports
Escape is listed on Textopian as a poem by Fannie Stearns Davis, dated 1912 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Fannie Stearns Davis
- Date: 1912 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Philosophical Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Pastoral Poetry, Spiritual, Existential Literature
- Length: 135 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Escape by Fannie Stearns Davis
- 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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Genres
- Philosophical Poetry — The text reflects on existential questions, life's meaning, and human mortality in a poetic framework.
- Lyric Poetry — The work expresses personal emotions and a contemplative inner voice using poetic language.
- Pastoral Poetry — The imagery of nature and simple rural life places the work within the pastoral tradition.
- Spiritual — Themes of divine will and reflections on the human connection to a higher power are evident throughout the text.
Tags
Historical Fiction · Romance · Adventure · Period Drama · Women Empowerment · Identity · Struggle · Resilience · Transformation · Freedom · Social Constraints · Self-Discovery