Childhood
by Markus Natten

Introduction: The poem childhood deals with the poet's curiosity to know when actually and individual ceases to be a child. He wonders whether it is the age of the stage when the young, unsullied mind learns to see through the adult ‘hypocrisy and identifies his own distinctiveness. Childhood disappears to hide itself in an infant's innocent expression.

Stanza 1
When did my childhood go?
Was it the day I ceased to be eleven.
Was it the time I realised that Hell and Heaven,
Could not be found in Geography,
And therefore could not be,
Was that the day!

Explanation: The poet wonders when did his childhood go away from him. He wonders whether it went away when he crossed the age of 11 or when he realised that Hell and Heaven are imaginary and are not found in Geography (i.e. real world).He starts thinking perhaps the day when he gained his rational and logical thinking, he lost his childhood.

In this stanza, the poet has two different things which would have led to the lost of his childhood. The first is his growing up and the second his rationality. So, the poet neither likes to grow up nor rational thinking. He seems to be a lover of imaginations (Hell and Heaven). He desires to have the same beliefs which he had during his childhood.

Stanza 2
When did my childhood go?
Was it the time I realised that adults were not
All they seemed to be,
They talked of love and preached of love,
But did not act so lovingly,
Was that the day!

Explanation: In the second stanza, the poet again raises rhetorical question. He wonders whether he lost his childhood when he realised that adults are not what they seem to be. They talk and preach about love but their actions do not seem to be out of love. They are hypocrites and have hate in their actions.
Saying that, the poet thinks whether that was the day when he lost is childhood i.e. after realising the hypocrisy of the adults.

Stanza 3 
When did my childhood go?
Was it when I found my mind was really mine,
To use whichever way I choose,
Producing thoughts that were not those of other people
But my own and mine alone
Was that the day!

Explanation: In the third stanza, the poet again raises a rhetorical question. He wonders whether he lost his childhood when he realised that his mind was really his own i.e. he could think independently and use it the way he desired.
The day when he realised that that he could produce his own thoughts and opinion and needed not to depend on the opinions of other people. Saying that, the poet thinks whether that was the day when he lost is childhood i.e. after realising the hypocrisy of the adults.
In this stanza, the poet is probably referring to his past experiences which are not very good. Perhaps he was earlier affected by what people would say. However when he grew up, he realised that other people cannot form his opinions. His mind is his own and he can think on his own.

Stanza 4
Where did my childhood go?
It went to some forgotten place,
That is hidden in an infant’s face,
That’s all I know.

Explanation : In the final stanza, the poet again wonders where has his childhood gone. Perhaps it went to a place which is forgotten. Finally the poet says that he can see his childhood and innocence hidden in the face of an infant child and that is the only place where it is found. In the final stanza, the poet seems to be a little bit relieved because he can finally see his childhood and innocence.
 

Poem-4

Childhood

By Markus Natten

Childhood Poem Introduction

Marcus Natten is the author of Childhood. The poet reflects on his lost childhood in this poem. He reflects on the moment when he lost his innocence and realised that the world was not what he thought it was. He recalls a time when his thoughts changed and he became aware of the hypocrisy of those around him. He eventually came to terms with the idea that his childhood had vanished and was now hidden in the face of a innocent infant.

Childhood Poem Summary

The poet wonders in the poem when he lost his childhood and innocence. He became aware that he no longer sees the world as he once did, and he can recognise hypocrisy in others. He recalled numerous occasions in his life when he could have lost his childhood. He wondered if it was the day he stopped being eleven, or if he realised Hell and Heaven didn't exist in this world and couldn't be found in the geography.

Next, he discusses the possibility that he realised adults are not what they appear to be and are hypocrites. They talk and preach about love, but their actions don't reflect that. Was it the day he realised his mind was his own and capable of thinking for himself? Nobody could own that, and he is a unique individual with his own personality. In the final stanza, he discusses the whereabouts of his childhood. He comes to the conclusion that it has vanished and can only be found in the innocent face of an infant.

Childhood Poem Explanation

When did my childhood go?
Was it the day I ceased to be eleven,
Was it the time I realised that Hell and Heaven,
Could not be found in Geography,
And therefore could not be,
Was that the day!

  • Ceased – come to an end

In the preceding lines, the poet ponders the end of his childhood. He wondered if this was the day he was no longer eleven years old. Was it the day he realised Hell and Heaven existed but were nowhere to be found in geography or on a map? He realised they were imaginary places that did not exist in this world.

When did my childhood go?
Was it the time I realised that adults were not
all they seemed to be,
They talked of love and preached of love,
But did not act so lovingly,
Was that the day!

  • Preached – talked or spoken

In the second stanza, the poet asks the same question, "When did his childhood go?" He recalls the day when he began to see the world through the eyes of a child, believing that adults are hypocrites who are not who they appear to be. The adults who talked about love and preached about love but never acted in such a loving way. In reality, they have two faces. Was that the day his childhood ended?

When did my childhood go?
Was it when I found my mind was really mine,
To use whichever way I choose,
Producing thoughts that were not those of other people
But my own, and mine alone
Was that the day!

The poet returns to the question of when he lost his childhood in the third stanza. He pondered the possibilities. He recalls the day he realised his mind was his own and that he could use it however he pleased. When he realised he could generate his own thoughts that were not constrained by anyone. When he became aware of his own uniqueness and distinct personality. Was it on that day that he lost his childhood?

Where did my childhood go?
It went to some forgotten place,
That’s hidden in an infant’s face,
That’s all I know.

  • Infant – newborn baby

The poet laments his lost childhood in the final stanza. He comes to the conclusion that his childhood has vanished and will never be found. He cherished his innocence, which had vanished and could now only be seen in the face of a baby. He only has pleasant memories of his childhood, which will soon fade. He also conveyed the message that childhood innocence lasts until one is an infant, and that is all he knows

Childhood Poem Literary Devices

1. Rationalism – the poet rationalizes the lost childhood when he was eleven and when he found out that hell and heaven don’t exist and are not found in geography.

Was it the day I ceased to be eleven,
Was it the time I realized that Hell and Heaven,
Could not be found in Geography,

2. Rhyme Scheme – the rhyme scheme used in the poem ‘Childhood’ is ABBCCD.
3. Refrain – a group of phrase which is repeated in the poem

When did my childhood go?
Was that the day!

4. Individuality – In stanza 3, the poet realized that he can use his own mind and can produce his own thoughts. He discovered a sense of individuality in himself.
5. Antithesis – where two opposite words are used together in a sentence in a poem

Hell and Heaven

6. Alliteration – The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of closely connected words

The time
My mind
Whichever way
Thoughts that

7. Inversion – when the subject-verb order is reversed

To use whichever way I choose

About the Poet

Marcus Natten is a Norwegian writer who works for New Zealand as the CEO of Hatchery Innovations LMD. He's best known for his roles in The Book Thief and The Messenger. Marcus Notton composed Adolescence. The artist has a better understanding of his lost youth in this sonnet.

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