Well-Educated Mind Poetry Reading List discussion

This is more like a conversation poem, between husband and wife. The hired man, Silas, had returned (from a long absence) and was exhausted and resting in the house; the wife, Mary, led her farmer husband back outside to tell him and plead with him to be patient and kind.

They proceeded to have a conversation about Silas, an older gentleman who was an essential, productive worker on the farm, but who left abruptly for another job that may have paid him better. The Farmer prepared to punish Silas, as he had the power to do so, but Mary convinced him otherwise. They continued their conversation about circumstances and mistreatment of other farm hands, and how Silas had a wealthy banker brother -- why did he not show up at his house to rest?

Mary coaxed her husband to go look at Silas and see how changed he appeared, and the farmer disappeared into the house. A short time later he returned, silent; and Mary asked the inevitable. "Dead," the farmer replied.

And that's how the poem ends.