The Barefoot Boy
by John Greenleaf Whittier
Blessings on thee, little man,
Barefoot boy, with cheek of tan!
With thy turned‑up pantaloons,
And thy merry whistled tunes;
With thy red lip, redder still
Kissed by strawberries on the hill;
With the sunshine on thy face,
Through thy torn brim’s jaunty grace;
From my heart I give thee joy,—
I was once a barefoot boy!
Prince thou art, the grown‑up man
Only is republican.
Let the million‑dollared ride!
Barefoot, trudging at his side,
Thou hast more than he can buy
In the reach of ear and eye,
Outward sunshine, inward joy:
Blessings on thee, barefoot boy!Oh for boyhood’s painless play,
Sleep that wakes in laughing day,
Health that mocks the doctor’s rules,
Knowledge never learned of schools,
Of the wild bee’s morning chase,
Of the wild‑flower’s time and place,
Flight of fowl and habitude
Of the tenants of the wood;
How the tortoise bears his shell,
How the woodchuck digs his cell,
And the ground‑mole sinks his well;How the robin feeds her young,
How the oriole’s nest is hung;
Where the whitest lilies blow,
Where the freshest berries grow,
Where the ground‑nut trails its vine,
Where the wood‑grape’s clusters shine;
Of the black wasp’s cunning way,
Mason of his walls of clay,
And the architectural plans
Of gray hornet artisans!
For, eschewing books and tasks,
Nature answers all he asks;
Hand in hand with her he walks,
Face to face with her he talks,
Part and parcel of her joy,
Blessings on the barefoot boy!Oh for boyhood’s time of June,
Crowding years in one brief moon,
When all things I heard or saw,
Me, their master, waited for.
I was rich in flowers and trees,
Humming‑birds and honey‑bees;
For my sport the squirrel played,
Plied the snouted mole his spade;
For my taste the blackberry cone
Purpled over hedge and stone;
Laughed the brook for my delight
Through the day and through the night,
Whispering at the garden wall,
Talked with me from fall to fall;
Mine the sand‑rimmed pickerel pond,
Mine the walnut slopes beyond,
Mine, on bending orchard trees,
Apples of Hesperides!
Still as my horizon grew,
Larger grew my riches too;
All the world I saw or knew
Seemed a complex Chinese toy,
Fashioned for a barefoot boy!Oh for festal dainties spread,
Like my bowl of milk and bread;
Pewter spoon and bowl of wood,
On the door‑stone, gray and rude!
O’er me, like a regal tent,
Cloudy‑ribbed, the sunset bent,
Purple‑curtained, fringed with gold,
Looped in many a wind‑swung fold;
While for music came the play
Of the pied frogs’ orchestra;
And, to light the noisy choir,
Lit the fly his lamp of fire.
I was monarch: pomp and joy
Waited on the barefoot boy!Cheerily, then, my little man,
Live and laugh, as boyhood can!
Though the flinty slopes be hard,
Stubble‑speared the new‑mown sward,
Every morn shall lead thee through
Fresh baptisms of the dew;
Every evening from thy feet
Shall the cool wind kiss the heat:
All too soon these feet must hide
In the prison cells of pride,
Lose the freedom of the sod,
Like a colt’s for work be shod,
Made to tread the mills of toil,
Up and down in ceaseless moil:
Happy if their track be found
Never on forbidden ground;
Happy if they sink not in
Quick and treacherous sands of sin.
Ah! that thou couldst know thy joy,
Ere it passes, barefoot boy!
Summary of The Barefoot Boy
John Greenleaf Whittier’s “The Barefoot Boy” is a nostalgic ode to the simple joys of childhood and a lament for the loss of innocence that comes with adulthood. The poem follows the speaker as he observes a carefree barefoot boy, which brings back memories of his own youth when he was deeply connected with nature. He describes the richness of the natural world—the wildflowers, birds, sunshine, and wild berries—and contrasts that freedom with the constraints and responsibilities that adulthood imposes. Ultimately, the poem celebrates childhood wonder and reminds us of the fleeting nature of that time.
Central Idea
The poem contrasts the unburdened joy of childhood with the duties and losses of adulthood. Whittier uses the barefoot boy as a symbol of freedom and connection to nature. He suggests that growing older can distance us from simple pleasures, trapping us in societal expectations. The poem urges us to cherish childhood innocence and to seek joy in the present moment.
Notable Knowledge
“The Barefoot Boy” is a classic American poem that is often anthologized in schools. It was published in 1855, during the height of Romantic and Transcendentalist movements that celebrated nature, individuality, and intuition. Whittier, a Quaker poet and abolitionist, frequently infused his work with moral and social commentary. Though nostalgic, the poem also critiques the pressures of conformity and the loss of natural connection that can accompany adulthood.
In-Depth Analysis of “The Barefoot Boy”
Stanza 1: Introduction and Immediate Nostalgia
The opening lines, “Blessings on thee, little man,” set the tone of reverence for the boy’s freedom. Whittier paints a vivid portrait—barefoot, tan cheek, turned‑up pantaloons, and merry tunes—that captures youthful exuberance. The line “I was once a barefoot boy!” signals the speaker’s personal connection to the subject and triggers a flood of memories. The comparison of the boy to a prince and the adult to a republican highlights the shift from a state of natural royalty to a constrained social role.
Stanza 2: The Richness of Childhood Experience
This stanza celebrates the sensory delights of boyhood: carefree play, a sleep that awakens with laughter, and a health that ignores medical rules. Whittier describes the child’s learning through observation of insects and birds—tortoises, woodchucks, and the like—emphasizing that nature provides an education beyond formal schooling.
Stanza 3: Deepening the Connection to Nature
Whittier expands the natural imagery—robins, lilies, and even the architectural plans of hornets—to illustrate the boy’s intimate relationship with the environment. The poem’s refrain, “Blessings on the barefoot boy,” reinforces the reverence for this untamed innocence.
Stanza 4: The Speaker’s Memories of Youth
The speaker recalls a world where every creature responded to his presence: hummingbirds, honeybees, and even a brook that laughed. The imagery of a “complex Chinese toy” fashioned for a barefoot boy suggests that the world was designed for simple wonder. This section evokes a lost Eden that the speaker once inhabited.
Stanza 5: The Ephemeral Joy of Childhood
Simple pleasures—milk, bread, a pewter spoon—are described alongside the beauty of a sunset and the chorus of frogs. The scene is tranquil and sensory, yet it foreshadows the inevitable passing of these joys.
Stanza 6: Warning and Final Blessing
The final stanza forewarns that the carefree days will soon end as adulthood brings pride, work, and toil. Whittier wishes the boy a virtuous path, free from sin, and implores him to recognize and cherish his joy before it slips away.
Literary and Poetic Devices
Whittier uses a range of devices to heighten the poem’s emotional impact:
- Imagery: Vivid descriptions appeal to all senses and create a powerful sense of place.
- Metaphor: The barefoot boy as a prince, and the adult as “shod,” convey freedom versus restriction.
- Personification: Nature is given human qualities, strengthening the boy’s bond with the environment.
- Alliteration: Repeated consonant sounds add musicality, e.g., “health that mocks the doctor’s rules.”
- Assonance: Repeated vowel sounds, such as in “Oh for boyhood’s painless play,” produce a lyrical flow.
- End Rhyme: The poem consistently uses end rhyme, typically following an AABB pattern.
- Refrain: The repeated phrase “Blessings on the barefoot boy” emphasizes the speaker’s admiration for childhood innocence.
Conclusion
“The Barefoot Boy” remains a timeless poem that resonates across generations. Through vivid imagery, poignant reflection, and skillful use of poetic devices, Whittier captures the fleeting joys of childhood and the bittersweet realization that these days are lost too soon. The poem reminds readers to cherish simple pleasures, reconnect with nature, and preserve the innocent wonder that defines youth.