By Amelia Alexander
Icon columnist
This is part of a series of columns by Ada student Amelia Alexander about "reading and debriefing" poetry.
When Icicles Hang by the Wall by William Shakespeare
When icicles hang by the wall,
And Dick the Shepherd blows his nail,
And Tom bears logs into the hall,
And milk comes frozen home in pail,
When blood is nipp’d, and ways be foul,
Then nightly sings the staring owl,
To-whoo;
To-whit, to-whoo, a merry note,
While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.
When all aloud the wind doth blow,
And coughing drowns the parson’s saw,
And birds sit brooding in the snow,
And Marian’s nose looks red and raw,
When roasted crabs hiss in the bowl,
Then nightly sings the stirring owl,
To-whoo;
To-whit, to-whoo, a merry note,
While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.
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Summary and Analysis
This is actually a song from one of Shakespeare’s plays, Love’s Labor’s Lost. I have not read this play before; I chose this poem because of the changing of the seasons. This poem follows a community and even nature as it gets extremely cold. Everyone has a little job to do, and everyone is hindered by the cold. However, the tone of this poem is cheerful. Everyone is happy, the owl sings a “merry note” as they do their little chores.
I do not think there is much of a deeper meaning to this poem, especially given that it is a song in one of Shakespeare’s plays, but I do think that there are many ways to appreciate this poem.
Personal Feelings About The Work
As the seasons are changing, I find myself missing the warm sun and greenery that is lost during the winter. You are cold often, and it can be frustrating. However, I appreciate how this poem portrays those insanely cold winter days. Everyone seems upbeat. Hopefully I can take that energy into this winter!
