Henry David Thoreau was an American poet, author, philosopher, naturalist, and a leading transcendentalist. He is well known for his book, Walden, which reflects the simple living in natural surroundings.
There are near to 20 volumes put together his works in poetry, articles, essays, and journals. His style includes a close observation on personal experience, symbolic meanings, pointed language and historical tradition.
Henry was a lifelong abolitionist, and delivered speeches that attacked the Fugitive Slave Law. He was a homely person and had chivalrous manners even though his appearance was ugly and not appealing.
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Thoreau was a philosopher of nature and its relation to human condition. In the year 1851, Thoreau became increasingly fascinated by natural history and travel narratives. He kept details of his observations that he made of nature and the keen observations at every stage of a plant or bird that he came across, which was then a source of late natural history writings. Thoreau’s political writing had little impact during his life time. His works were either dismissed or ignored. His writing also influenced many public figures.
Thoreau served as a children’s tutor, editorial assistant, as a repair gardner from the period 1841-1844. He later worked in his family’s pencil factory, which he continued to so for most of his life.
The poem, Indeed, Indeed I cannot tell gives an idea that the poet had some message to be passed on, however he could not do it for some reason and he considers it as a mistake.
In the initial of the poem it is said that, there is something that he cannot tell, but he does think over it time and again. He could have said it, when it was at a much easier state. Was it because of love, or because of hate that stopped him from not. He believes that when he tells it some day, you will not hold disgust to me and would believe what I said and did was right.
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He then says that, he still hates his friend, but what reason he does not know still, yet deep inside, he holds a liking to his friend, which just happens unknowingly. If the reason for our misunderstanding was betrayal, then it was a sin to God above and if the hatred was as small as a grain then we could make a stop and continue our good long friendship through an impartial way.
The poet describes of a simple misunderstanding between two friends and the depth of their friendship is discussed here.
This poem is a simple poem which expresses the true feelings of friendship among two individuals.