Horses (Symbol)
The speaker's memories of Felix before his sickness are of a robust and reliable young man. Since Felix is a farrier, the priest alludes to horses, which become a symbol for Felix. For example, the speaker says, "Sickness broke him." This is the same language used to refer to a horse being taught to be ridden. This sentence therefore can be read into two ways; sickness broke Felix by ruining his body and his spirit, but he also learned to obey it and learned not to buck his own mortality. The description "big-boned and hardy-handsome" could easily be used to describe a horse.
Sickness (Motif)
The poem emphasizes the debilitating yet cathartic nature of a terminal illness and how illness does not heed logic; nor does it spare those who are strong. Felix is initially troubled and aggravated by the physical suffering he experiences despite his earlier vitality. Through the priest’s religious guidance, Felix finds solace in God and adopts a new perspective on death. The priest is also transformed in the process through the empathy he has for the young man.
Horseshoe (Symbol)
The priest insists that Felix was a skillful farrier. The horseshoe mentioned in the last line is described as "bright and battering." This horseshoe is akin to Felix's liveliness and dynamism. As he tended well to the horses, the speaker tends well to him; priests and farriers are both nurturing occupations, though they may not immediately appear to be so. But both positions bring healing and comfort to their subjects.
Anointing oil (Symbol)
Before a congregant's death, priests are tasked with performing last rites by anointing the sick. The priest performs the sacrament to provide spiritual strength to the ailing parishioner. The anointing oil symbolizes the transformative journey that Felix takes into accepting his fate and finding peace. It also symbolizes the transformation that occurs in the speaker, who becomes endeared to Felix and therefore travels with him toward his death.
Dying young (Motif)
The priest is preoccupied with Felix’s life because he recognizes the tragic nature of the situation; he remembers how strong and full of life Felix was. This poem is an elegy to a budding young life cut short. The speaker does not ask God for his reasons for taking Felix away so swiftly; the poem contains a tacit understanding that inexplicable fates like this one are often beyond human control.
