On+Another's+Sorrow+(2)


 * Notes About the Poem

1. Sorrow**: Sorrow as defined by OED is The outward expression of grief; lamentation, mourning. Sorrow is the main focus this poem, and the speaker has an innocent portrayal of sorrow as a solution to others' woes. However, sorrow alone cannot solve problems.


 * 2. Share?**: The speaker starts out by asking a set of rhetorical questions which he answers in the following stanzas. He questions if people can see grief and not share in it.
 * 3. No no never can it be!**: The speaker begins to answer his question of whether someone could look at the sorrows of the world and not share the same grief. He refuses to believe that people could not experience the sympathy and compassion to share in someone else's sorrow making him innocent in this belief. Also, he believes that empathy is enough to solve other's misfortunes.

4. **Hear the woes**: If he recognizes and hears another's sorrows, they will be done away with. Possibly, the sorrowful person's or wren's song will be transformed into a positive melody.


 * 5. Weeping tear on infant's tear:** The innocent perspective allows youth to think that simply feeling pity for someone or listening to their problems is a good enough solution. With experience they will learn that in order to help a sad person, you have to take some sort of action.


 * 6.** **becomes**: The innocent speaker actually feels as if he is "becoming" the person he is showing compassion for. He is attempting to feel their feelings and think their thoughts, in order to make their sorrow disappear. He feels that taking another's sorrow will ease their pain.


 * 7. He doth sit by us and moan:** The speaker believes that as one griefs, a friend should stand by him and ease his sorrow.

Picture from: creativecommons.org

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