My two favorite poems are about as different from each other as can be. One is deeply serious, one is entertaining and funny. But they each tell a riveting story, and I, in my unschooled literary way, have found an interesting comparison between them. See if you can find it.
The first one is “The Touch of the Master’s Hand” by Myra Brooks Welch.
The second one is “Casey at the Bat” by Ernest Lawrence Thayer.
I love “The Touch of the Master’s Hand” because it beautifully expresses a powerful moral about the worth of a soul using a fine, old instrument. I find myself longing to hear the song the master played that so stirred its audience. “Casey at the Bat” entertains me anew every time I read it. It brings to mind that old Americana scene of a small-town baseball game. I picture the stands full of men in suits, ties, and hats and women in the dresses of yesteryear.
But the last stanzas are what bring out the true meaning of each poem. “The Touch of the Master’s Hand” is about a man who thinks he’s nothing special but finds out that he is. “Casey at the Bat” is about a man who believes he is very special and finds out he isn’t. We can certainly be taught in the most unlikely places.
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