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They Sit Together On The Porch

Author: Wendell Berry

This Page Includes: Full Verses of the Poem in Text. A Recording of the Poem (Audio). A Free PDF Download for reading purposes. Free Editable Google Doc Download if you wish to make changes or to personalise the poem. The page also includes what the poem is about, structure of poem and explaining the best parts.

They Sit Together On The Porch Poem Verses

They sit together on the porch, the dark
Almost fallen, the house behind them dark.
Their supper done with, they have washed and dried
The dishes–only two plates now, two glasses,
Two knives, two forks, two spoons–small work for two.
She sits with her hands folded in her lap,
At rest. They do not speak,
And when they speak at last it is to say
What each one knows the other knows. They have
One mind between them, now, that finally
For all its knowing will not exactly know
Which one goes first through the dark doorway, bidding
Goodnight, and which sits on a while alone.

Audio Recording

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Personalised Poem

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Personalised Poem

About the poem

The poem describes an elderly couple who sit together on their porch in the evening after finishing their supper. The setting is dark, and the couple is sitting quietly with no conversation between them. They seem content in each other's presence, and they understand each other so well that they don't need to speak. The poem suggests that they are comfortable in their shared silence and perhaps contemplating their mortality. The last lines leave it uncertain which of the two will go inside first, suggesting that they are in a state of mutual dependence and facing the inevitable unknown future together.

The Structure of Poem

The poem consists of a single stanza of 12 lines. The lines have varying lengths and are not grouped into formal stanzas or rhyme schemes. The poem focuses on the simple yet profound moment of an elderly couple sitting on their porch at night after supper. The structure reflects the peaceful stillness of the moment, with pauses and silences conveying more than words could express.

Best Quote from They Sit Together On The Porch Poem

This is a quote from the poem They Sit Together On The Porch by Wendell Berry

"They sit together on the porch, the dark Almost fallen, the house behind them dark. Their supper done with, they have washed and dried The dishes–only two plates now, two glasses, Two knives, two forks, two spoons–small work for two."

This quote sets the scene of a peaceful evening shared by two people who have lived their lives together. The simplicity of the moment and the routine tasks of washing dishes highlight the comfort and familiarity that exist between them.