William Wordsworth

One poem that caught my eye was “We are Seven”. He writes of a little eight year old girl he came across while on a walk.
I found the poem somewhat ironic. In the first stanza he writes
“A simple child, dear brother Jim,
That lightly draws it’s breath,
And feels its life in every limb,
What should it know of death?” (200)

Although he describes the child as “simple,” she is quite more complex throughout the poem. He also says “What should it know of death?” We often think of children being innocent and not really experiencing or knowing of death because of such young age. As the poem goes on, I realize that the child does actually no more about death than most have. We find out later that she has 2 deceased siblings. And while she is aware of this fact, there is an innocence about her that makes her still acknowledge that her siblings are present. Their graves are in close proximity to the house and she visits with them often as though they were still alive. As much as she is debated with the fact that she now only has 5 siblings, she holds her guards up and acknowledges there are still seven, even till the end of the poem,
“But they are dead: those two are dead!
Their spirits are in heaven!”
Twas throwing words away; for still
The little Maid would have her will,
And said, “Nay, we are seven!” (201)

Wordsworth probably could relate to this girl because he too was quite young when he lost his own parents. He could have also believed that although his parents were deceased could not come to terms with the true meaning of death. After talking to the girl, it may have inspired him to write this poem. He may have also told people that his parents were still among them.