Branger's "To My Old Coat."

By Eugene Field

Still serve me in my age, I pray, As in my youth, O faithful one; For years I've brushed thee every day-- Could Socrates have better done? What though the fates would wreak on thee The fulness of their evil art? Use thou philosophy, like me-- And we, old friend, shall never part! I think--I often think of it-- The day we twain first faced the crowd; My roistering friends impeached your fit, But you and I were very proud! Those jovial friends no more make free With us (no longer new and smart), But rather welcome you and me As loving friends that should not part. The patch? Oh, yes--one happy night-- "Lisette," says I, "it's time to go"-- She clutched this sleeve to stay my flight, Shrieking: "What! leave so early? No!" To mend the ghastly rent she'd made, Three days she toiled, dear patient heart! And I--right willingly I staid-- Lisette decreed we should not part! No incense ever yet profaned This honest, shiny warp of thine, Nor hath a courtier's eye disdained Thy faded hue and quaint design; Let servile flattery be the price Of ribbons in the royal mart-- A roadside posie shall suffice For us two friends that must not part! Fear not the recklessness of yore Shall re-occur to vex thee now; Alas, I am a youth no more-- I'm old and sere, and so art thou! So bide with me unto the last And with thy warmth caress this heart That pleads, by memories of the Past, That two such friends should never part!

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Poem Details

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Analysis & Notes:

At its core, this poem is a touching testament to enduring friendship, age, memory, and the passage of time. It is an extended metaphor in which the poet's old coat is anthropomorphized as a close friend. This metaphor serves as a vessel to convey the deep bond between the speaker and the coat, which symbolizes a sense of comfort, familiarity, and constancy in the face of life's transitions.

The poem's tone is nostalgic and reflective, with a hint of melancholy. Its structure, consisting of five quatrains, employs a conversational and casual style that adds to the sense of intimacy. The poet uses anecdotal style to recount shared experiences, which feels like an old friend reminiscing shared memories. This effectively conveys a sense of the coat's significance in the speaker's life.

The poet employs various literary devices, such as personification, to imbue the coat with human characteristics and emotions. The repeated phrase "should never part" reinforces the notion of enduring friendship. The juxtaposition of youth and age, new and old, smart and sere, adds depth to the theme of time's passage, while the reference to Socrates and philosophy adds an intellectual layer to the poem.

The poem also touches on themes of authenticity versus superficiality, as seen in the contrast between the "honest, shiny warp" of the coat and the "servile flattery" of others. This contrast underscores the poem's core message of the value of true friendship and authenticity.

Overall, the poem is a moving and thought-provoking exploration of friendship, memory, and the passage of time. It is a celebration of the beauty found in the simple, enduring, and honest aspects of life, as embodied in the speaker's old coat.