Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Does "On My First Son" reflect genuine sadness?
- Is the speaker right to envy his dead son?
- Is this a poem you would ever recite at a funeral? Are there parts of it that you would maybe recite?
- Do you think this poem would help someone who has lost a loved one? Why/why not?
- Do you consider "On My First Son" a beautiful poem? Explain.
- The famous critic Samuel Johnson once said: "where there is leisure for fiction [i.e., for making poetry, art, etc.] there is little grief." Do you agree with this idea? Explain your answer.