What does the repeating refrain mean?

The refrain — "he havin' his opinyin uv me, 'nd I havin' my opinyin uv him" — serves as both the poem's ongoing joke and its emotional heart. It reflects how neither man ever acknowledged the other's point of view. By the end, following Jim's death, the refrain loses its humor and instead resonates like a eulogy for two equally stubborn and very human men.

Why do they shake hands without saying anything?

Because speaking would mean one of them had to back down, and neither was willing to do that. The handshake serves as a way of recognizing one another — perhaps even showing some care — without anyone having to admit defeat. Field emphasizes the silence: "never a word from me or Jim."

Who is "Abe Linkern"?

That's Abraham Lincoln, pronounced in the speaker's dialect. This refers to Lincoln's appeals for volunteers to join the Union Army during the Civil War. Both men respond to that call, adding another layer of irony—they dislike each other but stand united in their loyalties when it matters.

What does "Johnnie Rebs" mean?

"Johnnie Rebs" (or Johnny Rebs) was a term used by Union soldiers to refer to Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. This indicates that the speaker and Jim are on the Union side.

Is the poem meant to be funny or sad?

Both elements contribute to its effectiveness. The dialect, the ridiculousness of a decades-long feud over something long forgotten, and the deadpan refrain create a genuinely funny experience. At the same time, Jim's death and the poignant image of that last silent handshake are truly moving. Field masterfully balances both tones, ensuring that neither diminishes the other.

What is the theme of the poem?

The main themes are stubbornness versus connection, and how war removes the little things that help people maintain distance from each other. There’s also a discussion about male friendship — how two men can care for one another without being able to express it directly.

Why does the speaker say it's "soothin'" at the end?

It's a complicated kind of comfort. The speaker isn't happy that Jim is dead, but he finds solace in their relationship staying honest and equal until the end. Neither man pretended the feud was resolved when it wasn't. The handshake felt genuine because it didn't come with a phony apology.

The Annotated Edition

OUR TWO OPINIONS by Eugene Field

Summary, meaning, line-by-line analysis & FAQ.

Two men who grew up as neighbors develop a stubborn feud during their childhood, spending twenty years barely able to stand each other — even after marrying sisters.

Poet: Eugene Field

The PoemFull text

OUR TWO OPINIONS

Eugene Field

Us two wuz boys when we fell out,-- Nigh to the age uv my youngest now; Don't rec'lect what't wuz about, Some small deeff'rence, I'll allow. Lived next neighbors twenty years, A-hatin' each other, me 'nd Jim,-- He havin' _his_ opinyin uv _me_, 'Nd _I_ havin' _my_ opinyin uv _him_. Grew up together 'nd would n't speak, Courted sisters, 'nd marr'd 'em, too; Tended same meetin'-house oncet a week, A-hatin' each other through 'nd through! But when Abe Linkern asked the West F'r soldiers, we answered,--me 'nd Jim,-- _He_ havin' _his_ opinyin uv _me_, 'Nd _I_ havin' _my_ opinyin uv _him_. But down in Tennessee one night Ther' wuz sound uv firin' fur away, 'Nd the sergeant allowed ther' 'd be a fight With the Johnnie Rebs some time nex' day; 'Nd as I wuz thinkin' uv Lizzie 'nd home Jim stood afore me, long 'nd slim,-- _He_ havin' _his_ opinyin uv _me_, 'Nd _I_ havin' _my_ opinyin uv _him_. Seemed like we knew there wuz goin' to be Serious trouble f'r me 'nd him; Us two shuck hands, did Jim 'nd me, But never a word from me or Jim! He went _his_ way 'nd _I_ went _mine_, 'Nd into the battle's roar went we,-- _I_ havin' _my_ opinyin uv Jim, 'Nd _he_ havin' _his_ opinyin uv _me_. Jim never come back from the war again, But I ha' n't forgot that last, last night When, waitin' f'r orders, us two men Made up 'nd shuck hands, afore the fight. 'Nd, after it all, it's soothin' to know That here _I_ be 'nd yonder's Jim,-- _He_ havin' _his_ opinyin uv _me_, 'Nd _I_ havin' _my_ opinyin uv _him_.

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

Two men who grew up as neighbors develop a stubborn feud during their childhood, spending twenty years barely able to stand each other — even after marrying sisters. When the Civil War summons them to fight, they share a silent handshake the night before the battle, but Jim never returns home. The speaker finds a bittersweet comfort in knowing that even death couldn't resolve their disagreement: each man held onto his own opinion until the very end.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

Us two wuz boys when we fell out,-- / Nigh to the age uv my youngest now;
Editor's note
The speaker adopts a friendly, conversational tone. He recalls a childhood spat with Jim over something so minor that it’s almost lost to memory — "some small deeff'rence" — yet that little disagreement ignited a grudge lasting for decades. By referencing their ages alongside his youngest child, he subtly highlights just how ridiculous and enduring the feud truly was.
Grew up together 'nd would n't speak, / Courted sisters, 'nd marr'd 'em, too;
Editor's note
The irony is striking: these two men who won’t talk to each other are living lives that mirror one another. They go to the same church and marry into the same family, yet their animosity endures. The constant refrain — each man clinging to his view of the other — hits like a drumbeat, highlighting how entrenched and almost ritualistic their stubbornness has grown. The reference to Abraham Lincoln recruiting soldiers for the Union Army firmly grounds the poem in the context of the Civil War.
But down in Tennessee one night / Ther' wuz sound uv firin' fur away,
Editor's note
The war manifests as an undeniable presence — distant gunfire, a sergeant's warning, the looming threat of death. In this vulnerable moment, the speaker's thoughts wander to his wife Lizzie and their home, and that's when Jim suddenly appears before him. The sight of Jim, "long 'nd slim" in the dark, takes on an eerie quality, hinting at what lies ahead. The refrain remains the same: while opinions haven't changed, the stakes have escalated to life-and-death.
Seemed like we knew there wuz goin' to be / Serious trouble f'r me 'nd him;
Editor's note
This is the emotional hinge of the poem. Without exchanging a single word, the two men shake hands. Field emphasizes the silence — "never a word from me or Jim" — because talking would mean one of them has to give in. The handshake serves as a truce that acknowledges nothing and gives nothing up, yet it means everything. Interestingly, the refrain shifts subtly: "I" appears before "Jim" in the first line and after in the second, as if even the arrangement of words is part of the negotiation.
Jim never come back from the war again, / But I ha' n't forgot that last, last night
Editor's note
Jim dies in the war, leaving the speaker alone with the memory of that silent handshake. The repetition of "last, last night" conveys deep sorrow. The closing lines deliver a quiet gut-punch: the speaker takes comfort — "soothin'" — in knowing that neither man ever backed down from his beliefs. It strikes a balance of tenderness and dark humor, celebrating stubbornness as a form of loyalty. They were equals in their conflict, and death didn’t alter that.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

The tone is wry and rueful—the speaker shares the story with a half-smile, but there's real grief lurking beneath. Field employs dialect and a light approach to prevent the narrative from becoming too sentimental, allowing the moments of genuine emotion to resonate even more. Within the stubbornness lies affection, and the poem's humor and sadness are deeply intertwined.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

The handshake: The silent handshake before battle is the poem's main symbol. It represents a reconciliation that neither man will openly acknowledge — a moment of human connection that completely sidesteps pride. It conveys everything the two men can't express in words.
The repeated refrain: The refrain — each man holding his own opinion of the other — represents a stubborn form of equality. Its unchanging nature underscores the idea: the feud remains perfectly balanced, with neither man being more right or wrong than the other. By the final stanza, it feels less like a joke and more like an epitaph.
"Abe Linkern" and the war: Lincoln's call for soldiers reflects a power beyond individual grudges — it's history intervening. The war doesn't settle the feud, but it paves the way for that one genuine moment between the two men.
Home and Lizzie: The speaker's thoughts of his wife and home in the dark before the battle reflect all that the war threatens to take away. It’s the moment of vulnerability that allows Jim to resurface, even if just for a moment.

§06Historical context

Historical context

Eugene Field wrote this poem in the 1880s, about twenty years after the American Civil War ended. Field, who is mostly recognized as a humorist and children's poet, grew up in Missouri, a border state with strong connections to both sides of the conflict. The poem captures a post-war Midwest that is still grappling with its losses and mixed loyalties. The use of dialect spelling like "wuz," "uv," and "nigh" was a common literary technique at the time, employed by writers such as James Whitcomb Riley to convey authenticity and working-class roots. The second stanza alludes to Lincoln's 1862 call for 300,000 volunteers. The term "Johnnie Rebs" refers to Confederate soldiers, indicating that the speaker and Jim are fighting for the Union. Field's brilliance lies in portraying the war not as a grand stage but as a personal pressure-cooker that brings two ordinary, stubborn men into a single moment of honesty.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

It's about two childhood friends who get into a petty feud and end up hating each other for twenty years, even though their lives remain connected. They both join the Civil War, exchange a silent handshake the night before a battle, and then Jim is killed. The speaker looks back on it all with a blend of grief and dry humor.

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OUR TWO OPINIONS by Eugene Field

OUR TWO OPINIONS

What this poem is about

Recurring themes

Stanza by stanza, with notes

How this poem feels

Symbols & metaphors

Historical context

Questions readers ask

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