A BABY RUNNING BAREFOOT by D. H. Lawrence: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
A speaker observes a baby girl running barefoot on the grass, and the sight is so enchanting that he wishes he could hold her tiny feet in his hands.
The poem
WHEN the bare feet of the baby beat across the grass The little white feet nod like white flowers in the wind, They poise and run like ripples lapping across the water; And the sight of their white play among the grass Is like a little robin's song, winsome, Or as two white butterflies settle in the cup of one flower For a moment, then away with a flutter of wings. I long for the baby to wander hither to me Like a wind-shadow wandering over the water, So that she can stand on my knee With her little bare feet in my hands, Cool like syringa buds, Firm and silken like pink young peony flowers.
A speaker observes a baby girl running barefoot on the grass, and the sight is so enchanting that he wishes he could hold her tiny feet in his hands. Lawrence uses images of nature — flowers, butterflies, and rippling water — to convey the delicacy and vibrancy of the baby in his eyes. This short, tender poem discovers something nearly miraculous in the simple act of watching a child at play.
Line-by-line
WHEN the bare feet of the baby beat across the grass / The little white feet nod like white flowers in the wind,
They poise and run like ripples lapping across the water; / And the sight of their white play among the grass
Is like a little robin's song, winsome, / Or as two white butterflies settle in the cup of one flower
I long for the baby to wander hither to me / Like a wind-shadow wandering over the water,
So that she can stand on my knee / With her little bare feet in my hands,
Cool like syringa buds, / Firm and silken like pink young peony flowers.
Tone & mood
Tender and softly ecstatic. The speaker isn't overly emotional or sentimental—he focuses on physical details and allows the growing collection of nature images to evoke feelings. A hint of nostalgia weaves through, suggesting that the speaker observes from afar, recognizing the transient nature of the beauty before him. By the end, the tone turns nearly whisper-like, as if raising his voice could shatter the enchantment.
Symbols & metaphors
- Bare feet — The feet are the main image in the poem, representing the baby's entire essence — her innocence, her physical vitality, and the carefree freedom that comes with early childhood. They remain "bare" throughout, unprotected and natural, which is precisely how Lawrence wants us to perceive the child.
- White flowers — Whiteness appears throughout the poem (white feet, white flowers, white butterflies), suggesting purity and freshness in a subtle way. Flowers also convey the notion of beauty that blossoms for a short time before fading away.
- Ripples on water — Ripples come and go without a mark. Lawrence uses them to convey that childhood — and the moments we recognize it — is fleeting. This image also lends the baby's movement an effortless quality, as if she barely disturbs the world around her.
- Butterflies — Two butterflies landing momentarily on a flower before taking off captures the entire emotional essence of the poem: something beautiful appears, lingers for a moment, and then disappears. Butterflies have traditionally been linked to the soul and the idea of transformation.
- The speaker's hands — The hands reaching to hold the baby's feet symbolize an adult's wish to connect with and safeguard childhood innocence, recognizing that this moment is fleeting before it slips away.
- Spring flowers (syringa, peony) — Both plants bloom in spring and have a brief life at their peak. Comparing the baby's feet to their buds situates her at the very start of life's blossoming, subtly suggesting that this moment of perfection is fleeting.
Historical context
Lawrence wrote this poem early in his career, during a time when he was creating a series of short lyric pieces between 1910 and 1913, many of which were published in his collection *Love Poems and Others* in 1913. At this stage of his life, Lawrence was heavily influenced by the Imagist movement, which prioritized clear, vivid images from nature. This influence is evident in the poem, which relies more on a series of comparisons than on argument or storytelling. Growing up in a working-class mining community in Nottinghamshire, Lawrence often focused on the physical and sensory aspects of life as a response to the industrial environment he experienced. The baby featured in the poem is thought to be a child he saw in his home life; the poem reflects not so much a specific relationship but rather the surprise of finding beauty in an everyday moment.
FAQ
A speaker observes a baby girl running barefoot on the grass, captivated by her beauty and vitality. He longs for her to come to him so he can cradle her tiny feet in his hands. The poem captures the essence of recognizing something delicate and ephemeral, evoking a desire to preserve that moment.
Lawrence leaves it open-ended. The speaker might be a parent, a relative, or just an adult bystander. What really stands out is the emotional connection: an adult observing a child from afar, touched by the sight, yearning for intimacy but holding back — he envisions the baby approaching him on her own.
For Lawrence, the natural world offers the richest language for capturing physical beauty and the essence of life. He sees flowers, ripples, butterflies, and birdsong as embodying qualities he wants to associate with the baby: delicacy, transience, and a sense of effortless perfection. By layering these comparisons, he reflects how wonder operates — you constantly seek new ways to express your thoughts because no single image can fully convey your feelings.
Winsome refers to a gentle, innocent charm or appeal. Lawrence uses this term to describe the robin's song, which he likens to the sight of a baby's feet — it conveys a sense of sweetness and simplicity instead of something grand or dramatic.
Synaesthesia occurs when one sense is expressed through another, such as hearing a sound as a color. Lawrence illustrates this when he compares the *sight* of the baby's feet to a robin's *song*. By translating a visual experience into a sound, he conveys that the scene engages more than just one sense, enveloping everything simultaneously.
Tender and filled with quiet longing. The speaker doesn’t express his feelings in a loud or dramatic way — instead, he observes closely, creating a vivid picture through imagery, and only in the second stanza does he reveal how deeply he wishes to be closer to the child. There's also a subtle hint of wistfulness, an awareness that this kind of beauty is fleeting.
Both are spring flowers that bloom briefly and intensely. By likening the baby's feet to their buds — not yet fully blossomed — Lawrence positions the child at the very beginning of life. It subtly conveys that this moment of perfection is fresh and fleeting, without casting a somber tone over the poem.
Lawrence is primarily recognized for his novels such as *Sons and Lovers* and *Women in Love*, but his poetry reflects similar themes: the body, nature, and the significance of physical experience in living fully. This poem is a brief, early illustration of these interests—discovering something almost sacred in an everyday physical moment.