Call for the robin-redbreast and the wren, Since o'er shady groves they hover, And with leaves and flowers do cover The friendless bodies of unburied men.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Webster calls for birds to cover the bodies of unburied men, suggesting nature's role in honoring the dead.
- In plain terms
- He asks birds to hide the bodies of those left unburied.
- What can you take from it?
- Nature can provide dignity when humans cannot.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does nature compensate for human neglect?
- What rituals replace burial?
Another view
Reliance on nature may not satisfy cultural burial rites.
More from John Webster
Vain the ambition of kings Who seek by trophies and dead things To leave a living name behind, And weave but nets to catch the wind.
Permalink to quote #3 Call for the robin redbreast and the wren, Since o'er shady groves they hover, And with leaves and flowers do cover The friendless bodies of unburied men.
Permalink to quote #5 I saw him going the way of all flesh.
Permalink to quote #2
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