William Hathaway’s “Oh, Oh” is a poem that sets a picturesque scene of youthful dreams being shared between two young lovers, walking together idly, side by side, on a summer day in the country side. They are lost in their own little world, enjoying themselves and the pleasantness of their inner worlds-- until they happen upon a menacing sight. Hathaway utilizes many poetic devices that deliver his message with impact; that the passage of time often reveals a reality different from that of our dreams.
The first thing that caught my attention in this poem was its use of casual, and at times even outright childish language. Cows become “moo cows,” trains “choo-choos.” In the first sentence, the speaker says “My girl and I amble down a country lane,” so this, along with the simple, childish language, creates the scenery of a young couple spending a lazy summer day together, completely at ease with each other— perhaps a very young pair of teenagers in love, or a pair of adults so completely unguarded, they’re indulging in childish speak together. Their "own sweet saliva green with grass stems" relates closely to the imagery of the "moo cows chomping daisies," perhaps to signify their unawareness and blissful ignorance as they meander along in their own little world. Other language the writer uses to this point to describe the interactions between the two are words such as “funny,” “gaily,” “dreamily,” “loyally,” all of which have connotations of youthful naïveté.
The second thing that I noticed was the use of a train as a motif. Trains are a symbol for time, transformation, or progress. In this poem, the train is a symbol for time, in particular. As they take notice of the “choo-choo,” with its headlight mistakenly shining in the summer sun, the narrator mentions his dream of being president, to which his young love responds, “And me first lady,”—A response typical of a very young girl in love with her head in the clouds, willing to devote the rest of her life and sign away personal aspirations to follow her beau to the end of the earth. This wishful dialogue between the two young lovers reinforces the theme of youthful naïveté, willfully ignorant of the more unpleasant sides of life. It is not a coincidence that these dreams coincide with the passing of “the last boxcars,/ named after wonderful, far away places” (such as the ones in our dreams.) When the boxcars disappear, the two lovebird’s daydreams are suddenly burst by the sight of fifty menacing Hell’s Angels appearing, leaving the reader to wonder, What will happen to them now?
The headlight seemed to symbolize something about the couple to me as well. Perhaps the conductor's careless act of leaving the train light on during daylight symbolizes that they are plowing on full speed ahead carelessly, without taking time to contemplate their actions or surroundings, both immediate and long-term. Another thing the headlights could represent is the oncoming of night, and its darkness, an image that may reflect the transition of our lives from carefree youth to jaded and wizened elders.
Whether the Hell's Angels leave the two alone, give them some trouble, or worse, their appearance certainly makes the poem’s message clear: our innocent wishes and dreams are all too often dashed by life’s uglier realities. I think this poem certainly makes a statement about how such dreams can be crushed by the passage of time, as we face and witness more and more obstacles and evils in our lifetime. Commonly, we begin to lower our standards or develop a thick skin as we mature in order to protect ourselves from such unavoidable experiences. For better or for worse, we cannot allow ourselves to be caught off guard, as these two young lovers are, to find the many variations of the life’s Hell’s Angels, “poised and growling,” waiting to pray upon us.
