One of the most impactful elegies written is AE Housman's "To an Athlete Dying Young." This poem forces the reader to think about their life and whether it should slip away prematurely. While reading this poem, it's hard not to have fleeting thoughts about all the plans you still have and what you haven't accomplished yet. There is nothing more tragic than the loss of a young life. Housman elegantly implements many literary elements in his poetry to play on many people's greatest fear, death. The versatility of the poem makes it a classic that can last over time. The author may set the funeral of a young man, but the tone does not always remain sad and mournful throughout the poem. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The young man died at the height of his athletic career after winning the city race and becoming a champion. For this reason he is considered a little lucky, he did not live to see his name obsolete. He never had to see his record broken, because the guy died before the name had a chance. “Smart boy, to escape soon” says the speaker, even his friend knows that his glory cannot fade if he is not there to turn off the light. People will always remember him as the champion he was, even if that wasn't what he was destined to become had he lived. It's similar to when an artist dies, their artwork will sometimes be worth much more since they are not there to do more work and their work can never get worse. With death can come immortalization, you can't go wrong. Housman's adaptability is impeccable, he doesn't let the depressing nature of the poem keep everything in check. The poem is also a strong celebration of the life and feats the young man achieved as a runner in the few years he had. “And soon the laurel grows/Withers sooner than the rose.” The laurel wreath is the one that was given to Olympic champion athletes in ancient Greece. The author uses this simile to compare the life of the laurel to that of the rose. If the lifespan of the laurel plant is short, this shows how short and less important the exploits of a champion are if he is the only one left who remembers it. Luckily for the boy, his laurel wreath might as well be cast into the concrete above his headstone because he's not going anywhere anytime soon. The cheering of the men and boys will not fade away for the runner as it will always be in the distance. This allows the young man to maintain his innocence even in death. This elegy comes to life through the use of abundant figures of speech, I believe this is why this poem is truly so touching. The way the city and citizens come to life when read aloud in a classroom setting is amazing. “The eyes, the shadowy night closed” and “After the Earth stopped the ears” are both instances where Housman uses personification in the young boy's death and funeral. At night he closes his eyes as if he were about to sleep for eternity. It almost becomes easier to blame the night and the Earth. Instead of outright stating the ugly facts, there are many instances where the author chooses to use a beautiful metaphor to get his point across. “Today comes the road of all runners.” This refers to the road that ultimately ends at the cemetery, not the finish line anyone expected from such a young man. “Citizen of a quieter city”. The boy is no longer a member of his old community, but is part of the cemetery once they put him under the threshold. My first experience with this poem was in American Literature, al.