What is this poem about? I am super curious?

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Brittyx.

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Whenever Richard Cory went down town,
We people on the pavement looked at him;

He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean favored, and imperially slim.


And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;

But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
“Good-morning,” and he glittered when he walked.


And he was rich—yes, richer than a king—
And admirably schooled in every grace:

In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.


So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;

And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.



What is this poem about? What's your proof?

and.. much of the imagery could be labeled as being related to what?
(glittered)

What does waited for the light mean? (line 13) And what's the meat and what's the bread?

Why on a calm summer night?

What does glittered when he walked mean?


This poem was really sad, I am kind or curious to know what other people think about it. :)
 
This is my opinion:

The people are poor (on the pavement) and they look at Richard Cory who is obviously rich and well-to-do and they wish to be in his shoes. They are too poor to eat meat and can only afford bread. They work hard and hope to one day make money (the light).They envy him and wish to be in his place. Richard Cory's life, on the other hand, is not as perfect as it seems. Although he is rich, he still has his own troubles. He is so troubled/unhappy, in fact, that he commits suicide.

In short:
-Money doesn't buy happiness/Money doesn't solve all of your problems.

-Nobody is perfect (everybody is facing their own problems, whether they are economic or mental)
 
tough. i think that richard cory was so talked about and admired that it probably frustrated him to the point of kiling himself. i guess he just wanted to blend with all the people. when the poet says "glittered wen he 'walked" hes giving off the vibe that there was this 'presence' to him that when he passed by, he seemed to outshine the people around him.

as for the calm summer night, the poet seems to be portraying a dark, but calm and relaxing tone and setting.
 
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