The Dying Child to her Blind Father
The poem presents a poignant farewell from a dying child to her blind father. The child expresses her awareness of her impending death and the sorrow it will bring to her father, who cannot see her but deeply feels her presence. She reflects on the beauty of nature, lamenting that she will not be there to share the joys of spring and the blooming flowers that her father loves. The child acknowledges her father's grief, recognizing the emotional bond they share. Despite her own sadness about leaving him, she tries to comfort him by speaking of a hopeful reunion in a brighter afterlife, where he will no longer be blind and will see her clearly. The poem captures themes of love, loss, and the enduring connection between parent and child, even in the face of death. The child’s gentle reassurances highlight her desire to ease her father's pain, emphasizing the strength of their relationship and the hope of eventual reunion beyond the physical realm.
By Frances Ellen Watkins Harper · First published 1860 · Genre: Poetry, Lyrical, Romanticism · 308 words
First lines
Dear father, I hear a whisper, It tells me that I must go, And my heart returns her answer In throbbings so faint and low.
I'm sorry to leave you, father, I know you will miss me so, And the world for you will gather A gloomier shade of woe.
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The Dying Child to her Blind Father is listed on Textopian as a poem by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, dated 1860 CE.
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- Work type: Poem
- Author: Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
- Date: 1860 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Lyrical, Romanticism, Sentimentalism, Religious
- Length: 308 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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Similar titles
- The Dying Christian by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
- Heart We Will Forget Him by Emily Dickinson
- The Dying Mother by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
- When Bessie Died by James Whitcomb Riley
- Fascination by Langston Hughes
- Separation by Georgia Douglas Johnson
Genres
- Poetry — The work is written in verse, employing rhyme and meter, characteristic of poetry.
- Lyrical — The poem expresses personal emotions and feelings, focusing on the relationship between the child and the father.
- Romanticism — Themes of nature, emotion, and the sublime are prevalent, aligning with Romantic literary ideals.
- Sentimentalism — The poem evokes strong feelings of love, loss, and nostalgia, typical of sentimental literature.
Tags
Poem · Literary Work · American Literature · 19th Century Literature · Slavery · Abolitionism · Family Dynamics · Parent-Child Relationship · Blindness · Death · Mortality · Loss