1:2 "is my team plowing"

Though we weren't assigned to read it for class, I read over "Is my team plowing" by A. E. Housman, and was moved by it. This is a poem between two friends; one dead, one alive. Up until the last stanza, this poem seems dear and sentimental. The dead man asks about the things of his past life, and his friend reassures him that everything is being taken care of. The dead man asks if his girl and his friend are happy and safe, and again he is reassured by his friend. However, the friend changes the meaning of the word "sleep," as we see with the last four stanzas:

"Is my girl happy,
That I thought hard to leave,
And has she tired of weeping,
As she lies down at eve?"

Aye, she lays down lightly,
She lies not down to weep:
Your girl is well contended.
Be still, my lad, and sleep.

"Is my friend hearty,
Now I am thin and pine;
And has he found to sleep in
A better bed than mine?"

Yes, lad, I lie easy,
I lie as lads would choose;
I cheer a dead man's sweetheart,
Never ask me whose. 

We can infer that the friend has taken a liking to his late friend's girl, which makes the reader think. This poem follows the style mentioned in  Housman's other poem, "Terrence, this is stupid stuff," where he admits that he writes pessimistic poetry, but is simply bettering himself to protect against reality. "Is my team plowing" is indeed a negative poem, expressing the cynical traits in human nature. Just like Caesar in his final moments, betrayed by his best friend, this dead man might too yell out, "et tu Brute?" if he were to learn was his friend has done.

Too often do situations like this happen, which makes me realize that Housman may be correct: humans by nature have only themselves in their best interest. Betrayal and deception are all too common, ruining relationships and breaking hearts. Housman gives readers a reality check for sure.