The Land of Counterpane

Though the speaker in the poem is bed-ridden, “The Land of Counterpane” is not a sorrowful poem. While one might expect a lament or a cry for adventure, Stevenson delivers instead a joyous celebration of the imagination and an adventurous spirit—all from the “confines” of a bedroom. Stevenson’s poem underscores a childlike attitude of viewing the world with rose-colored glasses, an exercise in viewing the glass half full despite the obvious. This view, Stevenson contends, is one that can help more than just children make sense of the world.

The poem begins with physical limitations: “Sick” (Line 1), the speaker “lay a-bed” (Line 1), confined to their bedroom as they convalesce. They are trapped amidst their “pillows” (Line 2) and “bed-clothes” (Line 11), while their body tries to heal itself. The introductory images are not only related to bedrooms and sickness, but they are also physical items. As the poem progresses, these physical items are joined by imaginative scenarios to create a fantasy that transcends physical and mental limits. While the speaker’s physical body is confined to bed, their experiences and interactions with the world are shaped by their mind and therefore unlimited. In a way, being stuck in their bedroom does not stop the speaker from “living” out in the world.