“Dead Poets?”Research Project

By Sheen Hunter

Robert Louis Stevenson

Biographical Information

Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson

Date of birth: November 13th, 1850

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland

Name of parents: Thomas Stevenson and Margaret Balfour, but raised by a nurse.

He entered the University of Edinburgh at seventeen, but soon discovered he had neither the scientific mind nor physical endurance to succeed as an engineer.

A Child’s Garden of Verses

This was his first book of poems.

The strongest influence during his childhood was that of his nurse, Allison Cunnigham.

He devoted this book to her.

The book was published in 1885.

Most of the poems reflected early childhood.

Winter-Time (Most popular)Late lies the wintry sun a-bed, A frosty, fiery sleepy-head;Blinks but an hour or two; and then,A blood-red orange, sets again.

Before the stars have left the skies,At morning in the dark I rise;And shivering in my nakedness,By the cold candle, bathe and dress.

Close by the jolly fire I sitTo warm my frozen bones a bit;Or with a reindeer-sled, exploreThe colder countries round the door.

When to go out, my nurse doth wrapMe in my comforter and cap;The cold wind burns my face, and blowsIts frosty pepper up my nose.

Black are my steps on silver sod;Thick blows my frosty breath abroad;And tree and house, and hill and lake,Are frosted like a wedding cake.

Winter-Time (most popular)

Critics say that the poem is nice to read around the fireplace at Christmas time.

My opinion of the poem was that I love it. I enjoy the phases he uses like fiery sleepy-head, by the cold candle, and frosty pepper up my nose. And I think winter time is a great time of year. You can just picture and feel the warm fire and cold frosty breeze.

Bed in Summer (favorite poem)

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?

Bed in Summer (favorite poem)I liked this poem the most because I don’t like waking up before the sun does. And it is still not an enjoyable thing to do. Also remember when I was a child and wanted to play outside still but my mom wanted me in since I had a bedtime.

Poem in the Poet’s Style

Riding little sparkly bikes a-hoy!

Shining rainbows in the sunlight

See me sailing away with joy

Off running and sailing the kite

We shall have to splash in the cool wading pool

Sandwiches anyone?

~Sheen Hunter. Feb/21/08

Analysis of Capturing a Poet’s Style

What I have discovered when trying to recreate the poet’s style was I must think back when I was a child and put myself in that mind frame.

I like that he can take the feel of the moment and make me be their with him. I believe that is be a challenging thing to try to duplicate.

Bibliography/Credits

World Wide Web:http://who2.com/ask/robertlouisstevenson.html

http://people.brandeis.edu/~teuber/stevensonbio.html

http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/rlsteven.htm

http://www.robertlouisstevenson.org.uk/

http://bartleby.com/people/StvnsnR.html

http://www.lone-star.net/mall/literature/rls/

http://www.nurseryrhymesonline.com/winter_time-3762.php

Book:A Child’s Garden of Verses by R.L.S.