I Had a Dove, and the Sweet Dove Died

I Had a Dove, and the Sweet Dove Died - meaning Summary

Grief and Quiet Responsibility

Keats' short lyric narrates the sudden death of a pet dove and the speaker’s effort to make sense of the loss. The speaker imagines the bird died of sorrow, while noticing it had been tethered by a silken thread made by the speaker. Affectionate gestures — kisses and food — are contrasted with the restraint implied by the thread. The poem quietly probes guilt, responsibility, and the limits of human consolation.