Breakfast on the picnic table
"The eagle's golden breakfast
Strangles them.
God keeps his oath to sparrows,
Who of little love
15
Know how to starve!"
The last five lines of this poem really tie it together. The poem makes me think of a picnic that had been lift by humans and is now taken over by the animal society. Dickinson really does a good job of showing how the birds act and look. Cherries taste good to humans so wouldn’t it they also taste good to an eagle. Because of the reference to Cherries the reader becomes the eagle that is now setting the table for breakfast. This seen is written from the eagle’s point of view. I find it interesting that the sparrow is brought into the last three lines of this poem. “To sparrows,… know how to starve!” I assume that the songbird is another pray of the eagle and refused to come to the picnic table.
5 Comments
Leave a comment
Recent Comments
Deana Kubat on Breakfast on the picnic table: the whole reference to cherrie
Jeanine O'Neal on Breakfast on the picnic table: Maybe it's not just about feat
Angelica Guzzo on Breakfast on the picnic table: I had a similar perspective on
Stephanie Wytovich on Breakfast on the picnic table: Wow. This is a really interes
Wow. This is a really interesting take on the poem! I didn't look at it that way. It's really neat that you showed how it was through the eagle's point of view. That gives me a totally different perspective.
I had a similar perspective on this poem. Although I hadn't noticed the songbird. I didn't consider the poem being the eagle's point of view, but you showed the evidence to make me see.
Maybe it's not just about feathery creature though....
the whole reference to cherries makes me think of george washington and the cherry tree. i guess i just kind of got this more patriotic view from the poem because of the eagle and freedom and the cherry and cherry tree.
I liked your view of the poem. I couldn't get anything out of it when I read the poem at first, but after reading your opinion, I understand it a little better. I didn't think of looking at it that way.