For many years, the summer has been synonymous with ice cream trucks. Both kids and adults look forward to the ice cream truck’s jingle, which announces the coming of a tasty treat. However, have you ever considered contrasting the ice cream vendor with a flowerbed? The poem “The Ice Cream Man” by Rachel Field draws this analogy.
The opening line of the poem, “The ice cream man is coming down the street,” instantly conjures up the scene. The speaker compares the ice cream vendor to a flowerbed as he approaches, saying, “He’s such a very funny sight, / Like petals on a rose.” Although at first glance this analogy might appear strange, it actually makes perfect sense. The ice cream man is a collection of goodies that come together to bring joy and happiness, just as a flower bed is a collection of individual flowers that join together to form a lovely display.
The author of “The Ice Cream Man,” Rachel Field, was a poet and novelist from the United States who was born in 1894. In her lifetime, she published over 20 books, including the beloved children’s book “Hitty, Her First Hundred Years.” She was a prolific writer. 1934 saw the initial release of “The Ice Cream Man” in Field’s book “Prayer for a Child.” Since then, it has grown to be a treasured classic that perfectly captures the fun and happiness of summertime as a youngster.
The ice cream vendor’s cart is compared to a “little boat” as it travels along the street in the poem. The ice cream guy appears to be sailing across the neighborhood distributing sweets to everyone who is waiting for him, which heightens the scene’s whimsy and magic thanks to this similarity. Additionally, the speaker mentions that the ice cream vendor is dozing off “in his ice cream van,” underscoring the notion that he serves as a carrier or container for happiness.
In the end, the analogy between the ice cream vendor and a flower bed is lovely and captures the core of what makes both so unique. Like a flower bed, the ice cream man is a collection of small pleasures that come together to form something more than the sum of their parts. The ice cream guy also offers enjoyment and excitement to everyone who hears his jingle and eagerly anticipates his arrival, just as a flower bed brings joy and beauty to all who view it.