17 thoughts on “An Only Son by Rudyard Kipling”

  1. This is beautiful and well interpreted, Bonnie. How did you choose this piece?

  2. Hi Kimber – Well, about 15 years ago my little boy was sick and holding his side. His dad had experience with appendicitis and quickly realized it was serious. We rushed him to the Mary Washington ER but it had already burst and he was airlifted to Richmond where a wonderful surgeon named Dr. Bagwell saved his life. He spent a month in the hospital and then 2 more at home with me. I will never forget the fear I experienced and how I got on my knees and begged my higher power for his life. So, the piece means a great deal to me as a Mom. By the way, he’s 25 now and doing just fine!

  3. Bonnie,

    The other day when we were in class, Dr. Scanlon mentioned that you really wanted to do this poem for the final exam. She said that it was short, but stunning. After hearing your reading, I must say that I agree!
    I could hear the richness of each word clearly. All lines were spoken with personal emotion. I read your response to Kimber above, and I am all the more awed by your strength. Through your reading, I was able to grasp the deep sorrow of the speaker, as well as their regret for the grief that they caused. As we have discussed in class, that grief was never actually their fault; the blame belongs to the war. However, that does not ease the guilt that one might experience.
    I love how you emphasized “she” and “for me.” It speaks to the private nature of this piece. It is deeply truthful in its vulnerability. Whereas emphasizing “died of grief” would display the sorrow of the mother, this reading also speaks to the sorrow of the narrator. It is not simply that she died of grief, it is that she died of grief “for me.” The mother is broken by her son’s own destruction. Placing the emphasis on “she” and “me” allows for there to be a shared sadness. The connection between mother and son is stressed, as opposed to just focusing on the heartache of the mother. There are two individuals affected by the war, and you did a wonderful job of illustrating that!

  4. Hey Bonnie amazing job, each word in the poem was well said and spoken. You added emotion towards it. I very much liked it,

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