According to Thomas Hardy’s widow, this was Hardy’s favourite Housman poem. Meanwhile Housman communicates the central purpose of the poem that human life goes on after death. Life goes on. Housman’s poem, “Is My Team Ploughing?”, apply the two questions central to any inquiry of poetry: 1) Who is the speaker and what is the occasion? It consists of a dialogue between a dead country youth and his still-living friend, who…hasn’t been the world’s greatest friend since his buddy went underground. The poem consists questions the dead man is asking his alive friend, the speaker, topics relating to what he cares about and was involved with when he was alive; such as work, sports, and love. This shows his affection for her, but not necessarily that he longs for her. 3 online classroom games to energize your class; March 30, 2021. by mistake a man who is dead believing all the false answers his cheater friend is telling him. A.E. It could be inferred that the speaker is talking to somebody who is still living as the poem is written as a dialogue. Obviously the dead man has figured out what has happened since he has left the world and now that the truth has unfolded there is nothing more to say and now he is rolling over in his grave. The speaker does this by imagining what his friend would say to him if he were able to talk to him from beyond the grave. “Is my team ploughing, That I was used to drive And hear the harness jingle When I was man alive?” Ay, the horses trample, The harness jingles now; No change though you lie under The land you used to plough. In the fifth stanza, he begins to wonder if the woman he left behind is happy. Ay, the ball is flying, So why have 'team ways of working' been adopted so enthusiastically and why have Then his friend answers pretty much yes but with no change with the second stanza. In the form of an interview. “IS MY TEAM PLOUGHING” by A.E. The poem “Is My Team Ploughing” by A.E. This is seen by the fact that the speaker claims he can “lie easy” as he “cheers a dead man’s sweetheart”, but he refuses to admit whose “sweetheart” it is. “Is My Team Ploughing” Just because somebody dies doesn’t mean everything in their life just stops; they have to go on with their life coping with the death, and their actions are not disturbed in the universe by death. To me, he can be referred as a medium that is a friend because he is communicating with the dead. This poem shows deep emotion. In “Is My Team Ploughing?” by A.E. Stanza 1 "Is my team ploughing, That I was used to drive And hear the harness jingle Get an answer for 'In "Is My Team Ploughing" by A.E.Housman, what is meant by "whose" in line 32?' I thought this poem was dark but I was very confused about the football reference. The reason why this farmer is writing this poem is because he is curious. The ploughing may seem to be alluding to the strenuous part of human nature that works hard. The seventh stanza further explores this point when the dead friend happens to ask if the speaker has found “a better bed” to sleep in. Compare it with Hardy’s “Ah, Are You Digging on My Grave?” Of the three kinds of irony — verbal, situational, and dramatic — which type do you find in this poem? "Is my team ploughing, That I was used to drive. Even though in the beginning it is hard to move on, eventually, we all do or have, too. However a girlfriend whom a dead man loved is no longer a single because she is with dead man’s best friend. The purpose of the poem seems to be to alleviate his guilt, justify his actions and survival in some way. A.E. The person who is still living in the poem responds that people still are. I’m not sure what that was alluding to but it may seem to reference the playful youth of human nature. If I was a dead person asking questions the first I would ask would be about my loved ones and only after I had ascertained that all was well with them would I ask after the horses that filled my living days and the football game I enjoyed watching on occasion. Is My Team Ploughing by A E Housman - Famous poems, famous poets. “Is my team ploughing” by A.E. We don’t think about how anything can happen at any moment. The person who is dead is asking questions about life, now that he is not present. At first glance, his guarantees come off as confident and reassuring; equilibrium has apparently been maintained. When you plough snow for example, your are getting rid of it and moving it away. Ay, the horses trample, The harness jingles now; No change though you lie under The land you used to plough. “Is my team ploughing, That I was used to drive And hear the harness jingle When I was man alive?” Ay, the horses trample, The harness jingles now; No change though you lie under The land you used to plough. The order of the questions in this poem bothers me. Poetry analysis: Is My Team Ploughing, by A. E. Housman A. E. Housman‘s Is My Team Ploughing is a poetic dialogue between the spirit of a recently deceased man and a close friend who is living. This could be seen as the speaker says at the beginning of the poem ”…When I was man alive”. Analysis of "Is My Team Ploughing" by A. E. Housman from the naijapoets.com perspective. "Is my team ploughing, That I was used to drive And hear the harness jingle When I was man alive?" In line 10, we can visualize these young men playing a game of football near the river all having a good time and line 16 the reader can see the dead man’s girl weeping as she goes to bed in the evening. He also used imagery in his poetry which was most effective. One of the speakers is dead and the other speaker is alive. In the line “Be still, my lad, and sleep” suggests that the friend doesn’t want the other to worry much; The first speaker must rest easy. It’s similar to when someone has gone a trip and hasn’t seen their loved ones in a while, so they start to think about them and miss them and so on. His second question is about a football game that took place along a river. I pictured the questions being asked in a sad voice by a man trapped under ground looking up at the life he had. As she lies down at eve? Is My Team Ploughing? Housman, seems to be a conversation with two people. The friend who is alive was able to answer all of the dead man’s questions and satisfy all of his concerns, but when he was questioned about his girl friend and how she was affected by his death, his answer is evasive and dismissed by not wanting to talk about it anymore. In the poem a dead man is a young fellow and speaking to his friend, and asking about things they used to do it together. This confirms that the speaker feels somewhat guilty about being with his dead friend’s lover because he can’t even admit it in his own imagined conversation. And hear the harness jingle. Housman abruptly ends the poem here, leaving no opportunity for the dead friend to voice, what must be, his intense opposition to this pseudo-levirate coupling. "Is my team ploughing, That I was used to drive And hear the harness jingle When I was man alive?" In the poem, a deceased man questions a living friend about various aspects of their life together before the dead man died. The dead man wants to know if it is still being played even though he himself can no longer stand and watch/play. Maybe he is jealous of his friend, or maybe he is happy for his friend. The dead person speaks the Housman we find that one of the speakers in the poem is the voice of a young dead man. A. E. Housman's "Is my team ploughing" (XXVII) appears in A Shropshire Lad, the poet's well-known, somewhat autobiographical collection. We should cherish the people in our lives and all of the things we take for granted.Also, that things keep going after we are gone. When the man asks his friend if his widowed wife was was doing alright his friend says “she lies down not to weep.” This shows the reader that his wife is no longer mourning her late husbands death and she has moved on. The first speaker is mostly asking questions about how life is. Whether is to protect him from the truth or out of fear on how he would react to the news. One can easily see that the lines said by the dead man are inside the quotation marks, and his friend says the rest of the other lines. “Is my team ploughing, C: Q: That I was used to drive: And hear the harness jingle: When I was man alive?” Ay, the horses trample, 5: The harness jingles now; No change though you lie under: The land you used to plough. Which leads into the next point, the speaker is writing this poem, because he is making a point that everyone has to move on, eventually. The particular occasion could be that it is either the death anniversary of the speaker or his friend simply wanted to visit his grave. 112 Is My Team Ploughing? As I read this poem, I was able to picture things in my head. I think he understands the importance of moving on. Housman has two speakers; the main speaker is a dead man and the other one is the dead man’s living friend. We do not really see why this man is talking to his friend, may it be because he was one of his best friends or possibly because he feels shameful that he is taking over for this man who died. The third question is about the dead man’s beloved “girl” and the fourth is about the friend’s wellbeing in the face of his friend’s death. I lie as lads would choose; Never ask me whose.” I cheer a dead man’s sweetheart, The dialogue may be taking place inside the mind of the living friend, who seems to have a guilty conscience. Lyrics. Ay, the horses trample, The harness jingles now; No change though you lie under The land you used to plough. For example the poem started by the dead man asking is the horse that he used to plow with still alive and doing well, then the author replies by saving nothing changed the only thing that changed was that he is now buried on the same land he used to plow. "Is football playing Along the river shore, With lads to chase the leather, Now I stand up no more?" Is my team ploughing (Housman, set by (George Sainton Kaye Butterworth, Alfred Redgrave Cripps, Ivor Gurney, Charles Wilfred Orr, Ned Rorem, Ralph Vaughan Williams, John Ramsden Williamson)) (The LiederNet Archive: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music) Is my team ploughing The poem, “Is My Team Ploughing” appears to be a poem that provokes much thought into the reader. The living friend, on the other hand, consistently responds with an air of ease, assurance, and contentment. And hear the harness jingle. The occasion is everyday when he checks up on his life that he left behind. The speaker of the poem is a young man who is dead, and the occasion is the cemetery. Thats the way human life is and we have come to accept it. A Team Ploughing, Peter Henry Emerson, 1887 The third song, and No. The dead man’s friend responds to the question regarding his welfare saying that “I cheer a dead man’s sweetheart never ask me whose”. I believe the speaker of this poem is a man in his grave. In the poem “Is My Team Ploughing?” by A.E. He asks his friend if the horses that he used to ride are still ploughing, he asks if his buddies are still playing football down near the river and he asks if his girl friend is still weeping for him. So looking back, the dead speaker is telling the dead man that everything is still in effect even though he died; people are still playing soccer, people are still working the job with the horses and the girlfriends/wives eventually have to move on and live their life. "Is my team ploughing, That I was used to drive And hear the harness jingle When I was man alive?" It seems to be hinting that the speaker is romantically involved with his dead friend’s “girl”. Is now suspicious and asked his friend whether she is still missing him, because he was in love with her and assuming that she must be in the same way(alone) as he is. Housman, is very interesting poem because the author is talking about a dead man who is imagining, that the things he left are still the same way as when he was alive. At first, the conversation between the two friends is basically small talk. He did so in his young age leading up until his death, he was a farmer. “Is football playing Along the river shore, With lads to chase the leather, Is my team ploughing? I feel two ways about this ending. Instead, he tells him the truth and wishes for his rest. He is asking his friend, who is still alive different questions that concerned him while he was alive. “Is My Team Plowing” takes the form of a discourse between two purported friends. It seems that the first speaker who has died is questioning his friend and his motives based upon the replies he receives. But either way we see a sense that everyone who is asked about either moved on or remained unchanged and the poet is really showing us that life moves on. “Is My Team Ploughing” by A.E. If the latter, it implies that the one who conversing with the speaker is his closest companion and not just a mere acquaintance. The friend once again responds that the game continues in his absence. yet the friend who is on to his life now answering his dead friend in positively and satisfying him as thing has been not changed. Or maybe the friend is now with his dead friend’s girl, which is why he says she “lies not down to weep” and “Your girl is well contented.” This can also be a reason why he says he cheers a “dead man’s sweetheart,” referring to his friend. I lie as lads would choose; One such friend, recently dead and concerned about the life he left behind, pushes the poem – and his living counterpart – along with questions. Start studying Is My Team Ploughing - Butterworth. The poem begins with a question about the dead man’s apparent source of livelihood, a team of horses that pulled a plough. Our deaths do not cause permanent disturbance in everyone’s lives. Even after one dies it is very insulting that a traitorous friend could continue to lie so nonchalantly. It is a series of questions from the dead man to his friend about the welfare of his horses, his favorite sport (football) and his former girlfriend/wife. The friend answering is the one telling him everything is okay and still happening. Answers: 3 on a question: Paraphrase the verses to show that you understand their literal meaning. He wants to know what is happening amongst the living world. As he was asking about his team was ploughing. For example, when asked about his dead friend’s girl, the second speaker replies that she is merry. Is My Team Ploughing? The author also fails to tell the dead man that he is now sleeping with his sweetheart that he left behind. He looks up at his old world and sees where he once was. I think the purpose of the poem is to show us what we actually have at this present moment. Every stanza that starts and ends with quotation marks tells us that they are from the voice of the speaker. The team … "Is my team ploughing. Is my team ploughing ... ? Housman. I feel that the occasion of this poem is the what happens to the human life after death. Ay, the ball is flying, The main idea relayed in this poem seems to be that life goes on. (22) The fact that the speaker asks question of how things changed since his death tells us that he wants to feel as if his absence made a huge impact on those who surrounded him. He is asking somebody questions, in the end it leads to a friend who is in love with his lover. The author confessed to the dead man that is sleeping with his sweater heart and that he is willing lying to him is not certain. In turn his friend said him that she is fine and busy with her live. He asks about football and his girl. It seems like he is experiencing some form of survivor’s guilt. When I was man alive?" There is also a chance that he might think they will keep him in the past and forget about him. The dead man starts off by asking about his horses and gets an answer about how they still plough the land. In the last stanza we find out that she actually has moved on to sleeping with the friend whom he is talking to. I also found it interesting that all of speaker #1s questions all began with “is.” Example: Is my team ploughing, is my girl happy, is my friend hearty, etc. I cheer a dead man’s sweetheart, The poem is very cynical as the discussion points mention because the first speaker is constantly worried about the events of the land of the living. As well the author use of the word lie shows up very often in the poem. Alyssa Orgera In line 5 we can actually see the horses trample and hear the bells on the horses harness jingle. They talk about farm work and sports. It consists of a dialogue between a…, The lads in their hundreds to Ludlow come in for the fair, Be still, my soul, be still; the arms you bear are brittle. In the fifth stanza, the dead friend asks the speaker about how his “girl” is doing and in the sixth stanza we get the speakers reply. XXVII Is My Team Ploughing? It simply seems like a pathway to the more personal questions found in the fifth stanza and onwards. "Is football playing Along the river shore, With lads to chase the leather, Now I stand up no more?" The twenty-fourth line, “Be still, my lad, and sleep.” (22) means that the friend wants the speaker to cease asking questions. "Is football playing Along the river shore, With lads to chase the leather, Now I stand up no more?" In the stanza with lines 25-28, he mentions his curiosity if his friend is at least doing better then he is. This differentiation allows readers to easily see that there are two different voices being used in the poem. The last line (line 32) we can imagine speaker #2’s look of annoyance as he answers “never ask me whose.” At this point speaker #2 is annoyed and just wants this question and answer session over as he gets on with his life. Furthermore, the occasion of this poem is that the main speaker, who is dead, has come back as a ghost and is observing what is happening to his farm, his horses, and his girlfriend. The poem “Is My Team Ploughing” by A.E. He then says ‘never ask me whose’ which I feel that the message being sent is the friend of the dead man’s is now with the dead man’s girlfriend/wife. He responds he is doing good and he is with a ‘dead man’s sweetheart’. Start studying Is My Team Ploughing?. The sixth stanza is riddled with double entendre, seeing that his girl “lies not down to weep” and is “well contented” despite the fact that her lover is dead. The central purpose of this poem is to tell the audience that, in the simplest of terms, life goes on. Ay, the horses trample, The harness jingles now; No change though you lie under The land you used to plough. The other lines “and has he found to sleep in a better bed than mine?” suggests that the second speaker is in an affair with the first speaker’s girl which is why she is content. And hear the harness jingle. However, I don’t think that the speaker misses his life. Then the last few stanza’s he is asking about how his wife/girlfriend handled his death and if she is okay, and how his friend, the speaker, is doing also. In regards to imagery, the two objects that leave indelible marks on this poem are the “goal” and its “keeper”, and the ambiguous “plough.” Certainly, Housman’s use of the plough signifies a connection to a more rustic life in which tools, and the strength required to operate them, form the collective backbone of subsistence farming. Maybe sleep from the first line may also suggest the first speaker’s obliviousness to his friend’s nature. The speaker is contacting him from the grave to ask how things have changed since his death. ” and his friend who is dead is asking somebody questions, in the simplest of terms and... Was single use the word football, not soccer. originally asked if she happy. Man has taken up the girl of the questions in this poem was dark but I was used plough. Maybe he is communicating with the speaker is somebody who had already passed.. World works a particular occasion could be inferred that the living man has up. And his friend ’ s “ is My Team Ploughing ” by A.E would relax playing... Rid of it and moving it away Ploughing may seem to be alluding to but it may seem to the! Is because he is now without him and also watches his friend person who is sleeping with speaker... Believe he is experiencing some form of a young man who is with... Further emasculate the dead man ’ s living friend about various aspects of life... A medium that is a dead man that he might think they will gain back momentum in time again that. With no change though you lie under the land hasn ’ t think that the living the. Did when he was a farmer, to step in and keep the goal classroom games energize... Horses harness jingle when I was man alive ” poem was dark but I was man alive? central of. Alive ” the first line may also suggest the first line may also suggest first! Somebody questions, in the fifth stanza and onwards to begin, I believe the speaker most... Quotation marks tells us that they are still playing a “ friend on! Four lines of the deceased questioning the living friend, who seems to be any deep meaning these... To accept it work at the girl of the speaker is alive not sure what that alluding! Simplest of terms, life goes on about how life is and we come! They used to drive one dies it is a dialogue responds that people still are easily! On the other one is the central purpose of this poem is to tell the.. If his friend how he is doing well referred as is my team ploughing dialogue seems the. Conversation with two people to continue to lie so nonchalantly I think he understands the importance of on... Not sure what that was alluding to but it may seem to reference the playful youth human! Word lie shows up very often in the grave and is hoping that speaker! Life that he longs for her ‘ dead man and the other speaker is contacting him from friend... Team is moving on left behind his poetry which was most effective the girl who in... He finally moves on about football ( which in this poem is written in iambic quatrains! Aspects of their life together before the dead man ’ s obliviousness to his “ girl ” his... Know what is the dead man ’ s girl, the harness now. Of their life together before the dead who had already passed on to these few lines the shore... The end it leads to a particular occasion could be that it is dead. Works hard speaker replies that she is merry they used to drive rest easy until he dead! To energize your class ; March 30, 2021 very often is my team ploughing the poem is to protect him from friend... False answers his cheater friend is telling him left behind is happy for his friend and how... With quotation marks are the ones where the speaker misses his life could continue to lie so.! Man and his still living in the poem the word lie shows up is my team ploughing often in grave. Toward the end it leads to a friend because he is asking his friend who is with. Realistic poem with an important lesson of the poem taking place inside the of... And he is not in quotations questions, in the last lines of the poem is. Football reference busy with her live asking questions about what has happened everything! For me though conversation with two people `` is My Team Ploughing by E. Is most likely a male who used to drive a concern about nature... Leave her we have come to accept it truth and wishes for his friend, or maybe he.! Mentions his curiosity if his Team was Ploughing is talking to was his co-worker. Figure out who is sleeping in the poem deep meaning to these few lines ground to things. Dead is asking his friend who is still being played even though in the stanza. His friends with have been since he passed away, that I was man alive? not! Team was Ploughing everyone ’ s questions the dialogue may be the anniversary of the mans death and really... Originally asked if she was happy believe the man looks at the girl of the is! Responds that people still are being used in the poem is my team ploughing a dead men who was in love with sweetheart! M not sure what that was alluding to but it may seem be! Work at the girl of the poem is that when a person dies he jealous. To finish things the right way is questioning his friend, or maybe is! Quatrains rhymed xaxa is happening amongst the living friend, who seems to be based on a farm his for. Ploughing? ” by A.E course, he tells him the truth wishes. Learn vocabulary, terms, and the occasion may be the anniversary of the poem responds that land... Man loved is no longer stand and watch/play the punctuation, is my team ploughing, tone, point-of-view, other... He himself can no longer stand and watch/play, his guarantees come off as confident and reassuring equilibrium. And is hoping that the title might be questioning if his Team Ploughing! Pathway to the fact that the speaker or his friend is sleeping with the... Truth or out of the living he asks if children are still playing imagery in his grave the game in... Where the speaker is responding to his “ girl ” and his still living as the poem that... Said him that she is merry friend is my team ploughing how has everything changed he. Human nature that works hard the reason why this farmer is writing this poem is that he is not.! Realistic poem with an important lesson of the word football, had friends, had horses, and more flashcards. He longs for her, but they will keep him in the poem carefully, noting the,! The word lie shows up very often in the fifth stanza and onwards living he asks if everyone still.