Night
A Brief Introduction by Annie B.
To most, the night is merely a state of unconsciousness: a time to zone out in the darkness, watch TV, take a shower, or sleep. But there is so much more to the concept of nighttime. Rather than thinking night a time of fear, darkness, or stress, take a new perspective. Look at night with new eyes, and see the true aspects of the daily cycle. With this anthology, you will be guided as you open up to the true natural beauty and gift that nighttime is to humanity. By reading each poem and response in the order they appear in, you will begin to see how night is actually a gift from Mother Nature, a gift that people take for granted. Nighttime should be a time for reflection, a time for relaxation, and a time for decompressing. Keep this in mind as you take a journey through words and explore one of our most precious natural cycles in poetic form. I hope you enjoy!
Poem #1: Stars, by Robert Frost
Poem #1 Analysis
“Those starts like some snow-white
Minerva’s snow-white marble eyes without the gift of sight.” (Stars, Robert
Frost) Mystery, wonder, inspiration, sparkling midnight sky. Hundreds of
extraordinary images flood the brain at the mere sound of this line. This line
and this line alone captivated my attention for minutes until I had regained my
senses and finally decided to analyze the words which had so stunned me in the
first place. Furthermore, I did not choose this poem to fit my anthology theme,
this poem chose my anthology theme for me. The very core of this poem, its
theme, seemed to me so obvious at first: stars, of course. But after further
analysis, I found the theme and mood of Stars, by Robert Frost to be
more along the lines of wisdom or nostalgia. I would say that the first stanza
of Stars is clever, misleading the reader in the direction of a theme of
starry nights, cool winds, and tall
trees: “How countlessly they congregate/O'er our tumultuous snow,/Which flows
in shapes as tall as trees/When wintry winds do blow!” The line “How
countlessly they congregate” uses intense imagery to display a dark, starry
night full of thousands of blazing white stars. This imagery also connects to
the reader by giving readers the familiar image of a starry sky. By doing this,
readers feel more in tune with the mood and setting of the poem. The next few
lines in this first stanza also contribute to the author’s initial use of
imagery to baffle readers into thinking that the poem really is about
night. However, the next stanza: “As if with keenness for our fate,/Our
faltering few steps on/To white rest,/and a place of rest/Invisible at dawn,--“
If analyzed carefully, is not really talking about stars. Instead, this
stanza is more of reference to the images and feelings that link to resting,
journeying, and traveling. The line “As with keenness for our fate, Our
faltering few steps on To white rest,” uses poetic rhythm to describe the
calming image of a weary traveler, stopping before dawn to rest and gaze at the
stars. Also, the enjambment in this line cuts between sentences and creates a
sort of mysterious mood and suspenseful feeling. The last stanza, “And yet with
neither love nor hate, /Those stars like some snow-white/ Minerva's snow-white
marble eyes/Without the gift of sight,” is, on the surface, describing the
elegance and beauty of stars. However, if analyzed, the simile depicting and
comparing stars to Minerva’s snow-white marble eyes shows deeper hidden
meaning, coming back to the idea of wisdom. This line also uses allusion by
referring to the eyes of Minerva, Greek goddess Athena. Careful analysis shows
that, since Athena is the goddess of wisdom, the stars are actually being
described as elements of wisdom. It is in this way that the stars are actually
symbols for the broader theme of wisdom, as was stated previously. Finally, the
imagery of this entire stanza is so brilliantly executed that readers
immediately envision a goddess with glittering snowy eyes. This poem overall
describes stars with meaning and, behind closed doors, invites a reader to a
land of wisdom and imagination. Stars uses figurative language to convey
a hidden theme within a broader theme of the night sky.
Robert Frost, poet, was born on March 26, 1874. After WWI, he won four Pulitzer Prizes and continued to write beautiful poetry. Frost has written many poetic classics, such as The Road Not Taken, A Dream Pang, A Question, etc. Frost’s style is using vague, deep metaphors and similes to describe important or philosophical themes. On January, 29, 1963, however, Frost died from surgical complications.
Robert Frost, poet, was born on March 26, 1874. After WWI, he won four Pulitzer Prizes and continued to write beautiful poetry. Frost has written many poetic classics, such as The Road Not Taken, A Dream Pang, A Question, etc. Frost’s style is using vague, deep metaphors and similes to describe important or philosophical themes. On January, 29, 1963, however, Frost died from surgical complications.
Poem #2: Summer Stars, by Carl Sandburg
Bend low again, night of summer stars.
So near you are, sky of summer stars,
So near, a long-arm man can pick off stars,
Pick off what he wants in the sky bowl,
So near you are, summer stars,
So near, strumming, strumming,
So lazy and hum-strumming.
So near you are, sky of summer stars,
So near, a long-arm man can pick off stars,
Pick off what he wants in the sky bowl,
So near you are, summer stars,
So near, strumming, strumming,
So lazy and hum-strumming.
Poem #2 Analysis
Summer Stars by Carl Sandburg is a beautifully written poem in which the narrator succinctly describes a warm, starry night. In Summer Stars, Carl Sandburg uses enjambment in order to group together the main theme of several different lines and focus in on them as whole, rather than individually. The following lines are an example of this:
Bend low again, night of summer stars.
So near you are, sky of summer stars,
So near, a long-arm man can pick off stars,
Pick off what he wants in the sky bowl,
So near you are, summer stars,
These lines are not poetic gems individually, but together, they focus broadly on the beauty and calm of a starry night. Also, by using enjambment, Carl Sandburg creates a brilliantly defined image of a warm, breezy summer night in which a narrator is calmly looking up at the stars. In addition, the metaphors in the poem (“So near, a man can pick off stars, pick off what he wants in the sky bowl”), give readers the comparison of stars to smaller, more attainable objects. This key comparison is the driving force of Sandburg’s poem, allowing readers to feel connected to the poem by describing an event that every person has experienced: the desire of pulling a star from the sky. Additionally, Sandburg’s repetition of the phrase “summer stars,” causes readers to begin to feel calm, relaxed, and perhaps even tired. This poem actually uses language to impact the physical state of a reader by relaxing, calming, and easing the mind through metaphors. Finally, the enjambment at the end of the poem creates the illusion of falling asleep. By placing a whole line off-place from the rest of the poem, Sandburg actually creates a sense of the narrator falling asleep. Sandburg also ended the poem with the line “lazy and hum-strumming,” which almost physically describes the feeling of “nodding off” to sleep. Sandburg’s poem uses different elements of figurative language to convey a physical feeling of falling asleep, as well as interesting readers and affecting the mind/body connection of the reader.
Carl Sandburg was born in Galesburg, Illinois on January 6, 1878. His parents were working class Swedish immigrants of the nineteenth century. Sandburg grew up in a life of labor, graduating school completely in eighth grade. After graduation, Carl Sandburg tried a variety of jobs, but eventually decided on a life of travel. As a homeless traveler, Sandburg went through hundreds of crazy and abnormal experiences. These experiences often appear in his writing of poetry. However, in 1967, he died.
Bend low again, night of summer stars.
So near you are, sky of summer stars,
So near, a long-arm man can pick off stars,
Pick off what he wants in the sky bowl,
So near you are, summer stars,
These lines are not poetic gems individually, but together, they focus broadly on the beauty and calm of a starry night. Also, by using enjambment, Carl Sandburg creates a brilliantly defined image of a warm, breezy summer night in which a narrator is calmly looking up at the stars. In addition, the metaphors in the poem (“So near, a man can pick off stars, pick off what he wants in the sky bowl”), give readers the comparison of stars to smaller, more attainable objects. This key comparison is the driving force of Sandburg’s poem, allowing readers to feel connected to the poem by describing an event that every person has experienced: the desire of pulling a star from the sky. Additionally, Sandburg’s repetition of the phrase “summer stars,” causes readers to begin to feel calm, relaxed, and perhaps even tired. This poem actually uses language to impact the physical state of a reader by relaxing, calming, and easing the mind through metaphors. Finally, the enjambment at the end of the poem creates the illusion of falling asleep. By placing a whole line off-place from the rest of the poem, Sandburg actually creates a sense of the narrator falling asleep. Sandburg also ended the poem with the line “lazy and hum-strumming,” which almost physically describes the feeling of “nodding off” to sleep. Sandburg’s poem uses different elements of figurative language to convey a physical feeling of falling asleep, as well as interesting readers and affecting the mind/body connection of the reader.
Carl Sandburg was born in Galesburg, Illinois on January 6, 1878. His parents were working class Swedish immigrants of the nineteenth century. Sandburg grew up in a life of labor, graduating school completely in eighth grade. After graduation, Carl Sandburg tried a variety of jobs, but eventually decided on a life of travel. As a homeless traveler, Sandburg went through hundreds of crazy and abnormal experiences. These experiences often appear in his writing of poetry. However, in 1967, he died.
Poem #3: Moon Compasses, by Robert Frost
I stole forth dimly in the dripping pause
Between two downpours to see what there was.
And a masked moon had spread down compass rays
To a cone mountain in the midnight haze,
As if the final estimate were hers,
And as it measured in her calipers,
The mountain stood exalted in its place.
So love will take between the hands a face . . .
Between two downpours to see what there was.
And a masked moon had spread down compass rays
To a cone mountain in the midnight haze,
As if the final estimate were hers,
And as it measured in her calipers,
The mountain stood exalted in its place.
So love will take between the hands a face . . .
Poem #3 Analysis
Of the many reasons I chose this poem, I think that the most obvious reason is rhythm. Moon Compasses uses a poetic rhythm to keep a slow, steady beat in order to intrigue and interest readers. Additionally, the assonance in this poem is a unique touch, adding elegance to the rhythm. The word at the end of each line rhymes with the word at the end of the following line. The poet also meticulously picked out the perfect word to get a meaning across, make a beat, and capture a variety of emotions and ideas into one word. In addition to the assonance at the end of each line, Moon Compasses uses imagery to stimulate the illusion of a clouded, thundering, rainy night in which a lonely soul is strolling through a mountain range, when suddenly the moon casts down beams and highlights a huge, magnificent mountain. This event then reminds the narrator of a past love or crush. The narrator obviously thinks highly of his "crush," but does not believe that his admired returns his affection. This idea is supported by the following lines: “As if the final estimate were hers, And as it measured in her calipers…” The first line, “As if the final estimate were hers,” gives the reader the feeling (mood) that the narrator of the poem feels judged or disliked by his "crush." The second line, “And as it measured in her calipers,” shows readers that the narrator believes his admired to measure him, or possibly even size him up to others. A caliper, or a compass-like instrument, gives the poem its name. In addition to the creative metaphor of the narrator being measured by a caliper, the last few lines of the poem and the previous lines mentioned above show readers that the poem’s true meaning is not really the moon or stars or night. The true meaning hidden within this poem is sorrow or loneliness, possibly even fear of an unaware crush. With this meaning uncovered, the poem completely opens up and makes more sense; the sorrowful walk, the depressed thoughts…all of the elements in this poem are actually the elements of a much larger main idea than nighttime (though the night setting contributes to the poet’s mood): love. It is this larger theme that allows older readers to connect to the poem and remember past admirers or relationships.
Poem #4: On Looking Up by Chance at the Constellations, by Robert Frost
You'll wait a long, long time for anything much
To happen in heaven beyond the floats of cloud
And the Northern Lights that run like tingling nerves.
The sun and moon get crossed, but they never touch,
Nor strike out fire from each other nor crash out loud.
The planets seem to interfere in their curves -
But nothing ever happens, no harm is done.
We may as well go patiently on with our life,
And look elsewhere than to stars and moon and sun
For the shocks and changes we need to keep us sane.
It is true the longest drought will end in rain,
The longest peace in China will end in strife.
Still it wouldn't reward the watcher to stay awake
In hopes of seeing the calm of heaven break
On his particular time and personal sight.
That calm seems certainly safe to last to-night.
To happen in heaven beyond the floats of cloud
And the Northern Lights that run like tingling nerves.
The sun and moon get crossed, but they never touch,
Nor strike out fire from each other nor crash out loud.
The planets seem to interfere in their curves -
But nothing ever happens, no harm is done.
We may as well go patiently on with our life,
And look elsewhere than to stars and moon and sun
For the shocks and changes we need to keep us sane.
It is true the longest drought will end in rain,
The longest peace in China will end in strife.
Still it wouldn't reward the watcher to stay awake
In hopes of seeing the calm of heaven break
On his particular time and personal sight.
That calm seems certainly safe to last to-night.
Poem #4 Analysis
I love On Looking Up by Change at the Constellations because of its layers of reality and depth. In this poem by Robert Frost, each line uses imagery to illustrate a new illusion within the reader’s mind different from the line before. In addition, the setting of this poem is described through imagery not even intended to describe the setting. This may sound confusing, but it basically means this: the setting and the topic of the poem are the same thing, so while the poet is describing a topic within the poem, the reader simultaneously visualizes the setting. To add reality to the poem, the poet describes planets, stars, and lights the way they are by not personifying them. Instead, the poet keeps his authenticity of theme (night) and compares these elements of night to other elements of nature. For example, in the line “And the Northern lights that run like tingling nerves”, the poet compares the Northern Lights to nerves by using a simile, rather than personifying the Northern Lights by making a statement such as “And the Northern lights danced like flamenco dancers.” In this way, the poet establishes his theme of night and keeps the poem’s realistic mood by continually comparing elements of night to other elements of nature, instead of bringing in unrelated elements. Also, the enjambment used in this poem allows the poet to express a full idea per line, illustrate an image in the reader’s head, and continue move on to another line in which the process is continued. Enjambment in this poem is somewhat formulaic, but simultaneously allows the poet to express full ideas and images associated with night.
The setting of this poem is obviously nighttime, but the setting and the theme differ. In this poem, the setting is used to express an overarching theme of calm and patience. On Looking Up by Chance at the Constellations takes a philosophical approach to describing ways in which the world is calm and patient. Also, the realistic elements of this poem connect readers and allow readers to feel the setting and mood of this poem.
The setting of this poem is obviously nighttime, but the setting and the theme differ. In this poem, the setting is used to express an overarching theme of calm and patience. On Looking Up by Chance at the Constellations takes a philosophical approach to describing ways in which the world is calm and patient. Also, the realistic elements of this poem connect readers and allow readers to feel the setting and mood of this poem.
Now that you've finished my anthology...
Now that you’ve read this anthology, hopefully you have been opened up to explore an entirely new realm of one of nature’s most precious cycles. Tonight when you go home, keep this anthology in mind and think of something you can do in order to use this wonderful gift of night to its fullest. Whether you decide to take a hot bath, do some yoga, gaze at the stars, or simply just look at the moon for a little bit, you will find that night is so much more than most think. You will find that the perfect cure for stress isn’t videogames, or a new diet, or even buying some new stuff, it’s using nature to its fullest. This is what nighttime is for.