Bed in Summer

By Robert Louis Stevenson

In winter I get up at night

And dress by yellow candle-light.
In summer, quite the other way,
I have to go to bed by day.

I have to go to bed and see

The birds still hopping on the tree,
Or hear the grown-up people's feet
Still going past me in the street.

And does it not seem hard to you,

When all the sky is clear and blue,
And I should like so much to play,
To have to go to bed by day?

The main idea of the poem:

The main idea of the poem is that the weather in England causes some problems
to children who have to follow certain system in their life. The sun rises late in
winter and sets late in summer. The poet wants to tell us that he can't enjoy the
beauty of nature because of weather conditions in England and being a child, he
has to follow certain rules.
In fact, the poet expresses his feeling of sorrow because he finds it unfair to get
up too early and sleep too early as well. Children complain of obeying orders of
grown- ups and call for freedom.

The first stanza

In winter I get up at night (a)
And dress by yellow candle light, (a)
In summer, quite the other way, (b)
I have to go to bed by day. (b)

Paraphrase
The poet is unhappy because he gets up early before sunrise in winter and at the
same time, he goes to bed before sun- set in summer as the sun sets late in
summer.

Figures of Speech
Contrasts: Winter -summer Get up – go to bed Night – day
Metaphor:
“I have to go to bed by day”
In fact, it is not by day, but the poet wants to show us how early he goes to bed:

Rhyme Scheme: a a b b

The second stanza

I have to go to bed and see (c)

The birds still hopping on the tree. (c)
Or hear the grown-up people's feet (d)
Still going past me in the street. (d)

Paraphrase
The poet envies birds and grown-ups because they are free. He goes to bed, but
birds jump in the trees happily and the grown- up people go around in the streets
as he can hear their footsteps very clearly.

Figures of Speech
Personification:
“The birds still hopping on the tree,”
The poet personifies the birds as some children jumping.

Rhyme Scheme: c c d d

The third stanza

And does it not seem hard to you, (e)

When all the sky is clear and blue, (e)
And I should like so much to play, (b)
To have to go to bed by day. (b)

Paraphrase
He makes it clear, by asking us a question which shows that he is sad and it is hard
for him to go to bed while the sky is clear and blue. He is supposed to play and
enjoy the beauty of nature instead of going to bed while it is still day time.

Figures of Speech
alliteration:
to have to go to bed by day "
/t / is repeated three times in this line.

Rhyme Scheme:
eebb

In this poem,
the poet is complaining here about having to get up early in winter when it is still dark
and having to go to bed early in summer instead of enjoying the beautiful weather.

Commentary:
The poet succeeded in making us pity him. His way of writing is very impressive.
He expresses the feeling of children who want to be free to enjoy life and nature.
The poem consists of three stanzas that express one main theme (idea). The
rhyming scheme is aa bb
The rhyme helped the poet to express his genuine (pure and true) feeling of
sorrow. The poet's words are simple and are cleverly chosen to show a talented
poet.

Questions with answers:

1. Why does the poet have to use candle lights in winter?
To get dressed because the sun doesn’t shine until late in the morning.

2. What is unusual about weather in London?

In London, the sun doesn’t set until late in Summer. On the other hand, it doesn’t
shine until late in winter.

3. Does the poet like the idea of going to bed early in summer? Why?
No, because he wants to enjoy his time like the birds and grown-ups.

4- What is the main theme of the poem?

1) The poet’s complain.
2) The weather in London.

5) In “’Bed in Summer”, what is the poet’s complain?

He is complaining about the idea of going to bed early in Summer instead of
enjoying his time and getting up early in winter when it is still dark.

6) Pick out three writing techniques from the poem and explain them.
1) Alliteration: I have to go to bed by day
bed – by, the letter (B) is repeated.
“to” is repeated
 2) Contrast: Summer X winter
Get up X go to bed
Night X day

3) Hyperbole: In winter I get up at night

In summer I have to go to bed by day.

7) How far does the weather in England affect the poet’s life?
The poet expresses his sorrow and sadness for not being able to enjoy his life and
be as free as the birds that hop on the trees. Controlled by the weather, he finds
himself obliged to go to bed by day in summer and gets up at night in winter.