James Baquet

    Today’s expression, “The child is father to the man,” means that who we are as children gives rise to (or “is father to”) who we are as adults.

    William Wordsworth had written a poem in which he said, “The child is father of the man.” Poet Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote a humorous rebuttal, calling the idea “wild.” His poem is the source of the current wording.

    Here’s the idea in a dialogue.

    James sees his student, a boy named Troy, playing his guitar under a tree.

    James: Hey, Troy. You’re pretty good with that thing. Been playing long?

    Troy: Thanks, James. It was love at first sight. I’ve been at it since before I can remember.

    James: Funny how our first attachments can last a lifetime. “The child is father to the man,” huh?

    Troy: I guess. They say first loves are lasting loves, so…

    James: Yeah. Another expression is, “As the twig is bent, so grows the tree.”

    Troy: I like that one. There might be a song in it.

    James: Maybe. So, do you play professionally?

    Troy: Yeah, I’ve made a little bread from gigs here and there, but it drives me bonkers.

    James: How’s that?

    Troy: Well, sometimes the audience has had too much booze; one guy tried to deck me because I wouldn’t play “My Way” HIS way!

    James: Funny! Nothing cushy about the musician’s life.

    Troy: Right. So mostly I play for the love of music.

    James: Good for you!

    Notes on the dialogue:

    — Love at first sight: A cliché, meaning that someone has loved something since the first time he or she saw it.

    — To be at something: To work on something, to persistently try to complete it or improve it.

    — First loves are lasting loves: Another old expression, meaning the first things we love are things we will always love.

    — As the twig is bent, so grows the tree: A proverb meaning that if you bend a very young tree while it’s growing, it will continue to grow in the same direction; likewise, if a child’s behavior or interests are shaped a certain way when he or she is very young, it will affect the type of adult he or she becomes.

    — Gigs: Live performances by a musician or other performer. It means temporary work by extension.

    — Something drives someone bonkers: Something makes that person crazy, meaning it annoys him or her terribly.

    — Booze: Alcohol.

    — To deck someone: To hit someone and knock him or her down.

    — I wouldn’t play “My Way” HIS way: “My Way” is a song made famous by Frank Sinatra; Troy is making a joke about a member of his audience insisting that the song be performed in a certain style.

    — Cushy: Easy, unchallenging, comfortable.