This week in our English class we read a really interesting poem called “The lesson of the moth” by Don Marquis. The poem is about a cockroach who is talking to a moth that wants to burn himself in a source of fire. The cockroach does not agree with the idea that all moths prefer lo live a short life to die in fire, they think that fire is beauty and that it makes them happy to die in the fire at a young age. On the other hand, the cockroach believes that he prefers to live a longer life, half as happily than die happily at a younger age. I think that the overall theme of the poem was death because the moth wanted to die in fire throughout the poem. One phrase from the poem that represents this is when the moth says “It is better to be a part of beauty for one instant and then cease to exist than to exist forever and never be a part of beauty.”

There are two different philosophies that are expressed in this poem about life. One of them is expressed by the cockroach, which is living longer is better but only being half as happy. On the other hand, the other philosophy is expressed by the moth. He believed that living less but dying in beauty and happiness is better than living a long time but unhappily. Personally I think that the author believes in the philosophy of the cockroach because he shows the cockroach in the poem as ” The adult” or the more mature character.

I believe in the philosophy of the moth. I agree with his philosophy because I think it is better to be happy even if it’s just for a short period of time. In my opinion, there is no point in living a long life if you are not going to be happy. I prefer living a shorter amount of time but being happy.