The poem is characterised by oppositions and contrast.identify three examples and coment on how they work to enhance the force of the poem

the funeral- the funeral is attended, but in contrast life goes on

"Neither refused the meeting. But the hand!" A hand cannot refuse a meeting....... he's given it personification, in much the same way that the saw can be seen as death. Both are in opposition to one another.

''big boy doing a mans work, though child at heart'' Opposition, boy doing a man's work........ not old enough to work or mentally challenged? Should he have been using the saw at all?