Okay so even though this is a poem about blooming cherry trees, youth, springtime, and all that, it's just as much a poem about—dunDUNDUN—death. It's impossible to think about spring without also thinking about how winter has just ended, and winter is a time of death. Furthermore, the speaker realizes that while he is only 20 years old, he will not live forever, and that eventually he will die. "Loveliest of Trees" is a poem about how life is short, and about how death is the only guaranteed thing in life. Even though he is well aware of death, the speaker knows that he has about 50 years left to do all kinds of living.
Questions About Death
- Even though this is a poem about death, does it still seem hopeful? Why or why not?
- How would you describe the speaker's attitude towards death?
- Do all the references to spring and rebirth suggest that the speaker believes in life after death? Why or why not?
Chew on This
Even though death is a certainty, in a weird way that's what make life is worth living. Life is short, and that is why the speaker vows to see as many trees as he can.
It is impossible to separate life and death. The references to Easter remind us of Jesus' death and resurrection, whereas the cherry blossoms even in spring are described as "hung with snow."