Acquainted with the Night

I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain -- and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.


I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.


I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,


But not to call me back or say good-by;
And further still at an unearthly height,
One luminary clock against the sky


Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.

Robert Frost

1928

Emotional Response

     In "Acquainted with the Night" by Robert Frost, the character speaks on their rather unusual and saddening experiences with “the night”. The imagery and diction in this poem create a solemn and depressing mood. It is difficult for a reader to miss the darkness and feeling of loneliness throughout this poem. These aspects of the poem molded my emotional response.

     At first, I read through the poem superficially – noticing word selection and verse structure. As I passed upon words and phrases such as “interrupted cry” and “the saddest city lane”, my attention drifted to the weight and matter of this poem. In reading through a second time, I felt my heart go out to the character because of the vivid focus on loneliness. This poem paints a clear picture of a person who nearly knows too much about something as simple as an ordinary night because of the fact that they are lonely. Their time is not being spent with family, friends, or just people in general but instead with the night.

     When someone can say that they have “outwalked the furthest city light” and have “looked down the saddest city lane”, it may be easy to infer that their basis and relationship with the night is not normal compared to that of others’. The idea that someone could be so lonely and underwhelmed breaks my heart and makes me remember my own personal experience and struggle with loneliness. This poem took me back to my freshman year at Azusa Pacific University.

     After imagining what kind of day to day life this character lived and what a struggle it may have been for them to cope with their loneliness, I was instantly reminded of my life a year ago. The beginning of my freshman year brought a lot of empty and lonely feelings. I felt as though I had taken a huge leap of faith and ultimately, it was going to either break or make me. However, it proved rather disheartening; I was constantly feeling homesick and being six hours away from home was rough on my emotional stability. I did not know anyone or have any high school friends attending Azusa Pacific so I was experiencing college in completely blindness. In addition, I was a freshman biochemistry major which added onto the accumulating stress. For the first time in my life, I felt lost in all aspects and did not know how to cope with all the change and newness taking place in my life. I was completely taken out of my comfort zone with no direction.

     But as time went on, I took charge and made my freshman year what I wanted it to be. Even though I look back now and think how foolish of myself, I know that those feelings of loneliness are ones I never want to experience again. After reminiscing, I figured that it is because of my own personal experience with loneliness that drew my attention and I to this poem.

     I can use this poem as a reminder and a slight liberation from loneliness. In studying and using this poem throughout a semester, I can remind myself of the past and be thankful for my present. Now, I realize that this poem is perfect from my master project because it has proven to provoke a strong emotional response in myself. 

Biography on Robert Frost

     Robert Frost was born on March 26, 1874 in San Francisco, California. His family later moved to Lawrence, Massachusetts where he spent most of his adolescent years ("Robert Frost"). During these years, his interest in poetry was rooted. He was later accepted into Dartmouth College and Harvard, however, he never received an actual degree from either institutions ("Robert Frost").

     After Mr. Frost left his educational journey behind, he went on to work various jobs such as a teacher, cobbler, and an editor. But in 1894, his first poem, “My Butterfly” , was published in The Independent which was the New York newspaper. A year later, Robert Frost married his wife, Elinor Miriam White. It is said that his relationship became the inspiration to majority of his work. The couple moved to England in 1912 where Mr. Frost built relations with contemporary British poets such as Edward Thomas, Robert Graves, Rupert Brooke, and Ezra Pound ("Robert Frost").

     After three short years, the couple returned to the states in 1915 and Robert Frost has successfully published two collections: A Boy’s Will and North of Boston. His career reached its peak in the 1920’s when most of his work and books had been published such as New Hampshire, A Further Range, and Steeple Bush.He became a well known poet and his career had been well established.

     Despite all these accomplishments, Robert Frost dealt with many saddening tragedies with his family. He suffered three of his own children’s deaths and also the death of his wife. His health began to decline and his lungs began to weaken. It is suggested that these events are what led up to the accumulation his "darker" works.

      During his late life, Robert Frost received doctoral degrees from Cambridge and Oxford. He served on the Harvard staff and the Board of Overseers of Harvard. Then, in 1961, Robert Frost recited “The Gift Outright” at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy. Shortly after, Robert Frost’s final work, In the Clearing, was published in 1962 ("Robert Frost Biography").

      Then, on January 29, 1963, Robert Frost died in Boston, Massachusetts from complications that followed an operation. Robert Frost was a highly celebrated and respected poet. Despite all the hardships and tragedies, Mr. Frost was able to dedicate his life to what he enjoyed most: poetry.

Works Cited

     "Robert Frost." Poets.org - Poetry, Poems, Bios & More. Web. 17 Oct. 2011. <http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/192>.

     "Robert Frost Biography - Life, Family, Children, Story, Death, Wife, School, Mother, Young."

     Encyclopedia of World Biography. Web. 17 Oct. 2011. <http://www.n otablebiographies.com/Fi-Gi/Frost-Robert.html>.

Annotation

I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain -- and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.

I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,

But not to call me back or say good-by;
And further still at an unearthly height,
A luminary clock against the sky

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night. 

Words and phrases in blue – These words like “night”, “saddest”, and “…outwalked the furthest city light” all dedicate to the dark and sad mood of this poem. I believe that these words diminish the possibility of a reader interpreting this poem for a happy, uplifting one.

Words in red – repeated usage of walking, moving, and passing movement

I have passed by the watchman on his beat – This phrase in the poem was difficult for me to understand as I read this poem on the surface. I did not know the exact definition of watchmen.

Watchman – A definition I found online referred to watchmen as security guards or persons who “protect property, assets, or people”. This definition may be helpful to readers who may not have a clear understand of what a watchman is.

Stanzas with grey highlighting – These stanzas contain enjambment. However, the poem starts with clear, strict punctuation but later changes in the third and fourth stanza. The distinct change throughout the poem could be an attempt to engage the reader to pay attention to the words and what is being said rather than what is being punctuated.

“I have been one acquainted with the night”  is repeated twice within the poem – at the beginning and the end.

Structure: 14 lines = Sonnet

The Author's Circle

     According to the Academy of American Poets’ biography on Robert Frost, it is noted that during his stay in England, he “met and was influenced by such contemporary British poets as Edward Thomas, Rupert Brooke, and Robert Graves” (“Robert Frost”). In addition, the biography also stated that Frost “established a friendship with the poet Ezra Pound” (“Robert Frost”). These few poets would be considered Robert Frost’s circle; as state before, these poets influenced his work and may also have other significance to his work.

     Edward Thomas was born in Lambeth, London on March 3, 1878. After deviating from his father’s plan and footsteps in civil service, Mr. Thomas composed and published his first book, The Woodland Life, in 1896. This book included the collection of essays about his long walks (“Edward Thomas”). Soon after, Edward Thomas was the recipient of a scholarship to Lincoln College where he would later graduate with a degree in history.

     Edward Thomas went on to publish biographical studies and autobiographical works such as Walter Pater, Maurice Maeterlinck, The Happy-Go-Lucky Morgans, and The Icknield Way. But it was when he met Robert Frost that he was influenced to write more poetic material. With this poetic influence, Edward Thomas published his first poem “Up in the Wind” in 1914 under his pseudonym Edward Eastaway (“Edward Thomas”).  In return, Edward Thomas helped popularize Robert Frost in Britain and The United States by writing a positive review of Frost’s North of Boston. Edward Thomas later served in World War I but unfortunately was killed on April 9, 1917 during battle.

     This friendship between the poets seemed as platonic as it was business. They are both noted as close friends in their biographies. In addition, in being friends, the men were able to stretch one another as writers and poets. Edward Thomas is arguably responsible for solidifying Robert Frost’s start and popularity as a poet in both Britain and The United States.

     Ezra Pound was born in Hailey, Idaho in 1885 (“Ezra Pound”). After earning a degree from Hamilton College in 1905, Ezra Pound moved to Italy. He then became involved in Fascist politics and was later arrested on charges of treason in 1945. However, Ezra was acquitted a year later and admitted to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital for mental illness. Aside from the chaos, Ezra Pound contributed his own movement of Imagism which stressed clarity, precision and economy of language (“Ezra Pound”). He also published works such as Imaginary Letters, Make it New, and “Provenca”.

     Along with this movement, Ezra Pound is known for his widely-acknowledge contribution to revitalizing the twentieth-century revolution of poetry ("Ezra Pound: The Poetry Foundation"). He consistently baffled his readers using unfamiliar and "unconventional poetic materials" ("Ezra Pound: The Poetry Foundation"). Furthermore, Ezra was known for supporting and promote other poets during his career.

     Ezra is also known as a generous poet for opening the exchange of work and  ideas between American and British writers which allowed for the advancement of many contemporaries. Robert Frost was one poet who was able to benefit from Ezra’s generosity. In large part, this open exchange  is what allowed for Robert Frost’s success in both countries.

Works Cited

     "Edward Thomas." Poets.org - Poetry, Poems, Bios & More. Academy of  American Poets. Web. 13 Nov. 2011. <http://www.poets.org/ poet .php/pr mPID/719>.

     "Ezra Pound." Poets.org - Poetry, Poems, Bios & More. Academy of American Poets.Web. 13 Nov. 2011. <http://www.poets.org/ poet. php/prmPID/161>.

     "Ezra Pound : The Poetry Foundation." Poetry Foundation. Web. 07 Dec. 2011. <http://www.poetryfoundation. org/bio/ezra-pound>.

     "Robert Frost." Poets.org - Poetry, Poems, Bios & More. Academy of American Poets.Web. 13 Nov. 2011. <http://w ww.poets.org/poet.p hp/prmPID/192>.

Argument about the Poem

     Imagine yourself walking down a lonely street during a quiet night. The only persons still out at this time are watchmen, or commonly known as security guards or officers. Create a mental picture of yourself treading along and staring down the “saddest city lane”. Could you imagine yourself outwalking “the furthest city light”? What type of feelings come over you as you add an “interrupted cry” to your mental picture but only to realize that it’s not to call you back or to “say good-by”?

     In “Acquainted with the Night” by Robert Frost, the character experiences what can be described as a rather unfavorable, lonely interaction with the night. Although its light-hearted title suggest that the character is simply getting to know or becoming acquainted with the night, this poem contains various examples in which one could use to argue that this poem has a poignant tone and speaks about  solitude of the human condition. The repeated phrase of “I have been acquainted with the night” is the character’s realization and confession of their true loneliness in this poem.

     Robert Frost is known for his deceiving darker poems and his recurrent theme of isolation and loneliness (P. 119). Because “Acquainted with the Night” seems as a carefree poem about a character carrying on throughout the night from a superficial read, it is easy to miss the slightly darker imagery taking place. These aspects of Frost’s looming writing on the favorable subject of loneliness is formulated and best seen in this poem.

     The poem mentions “rain” and walking out and back into the rain in the first stanza. Although rain does not have a completely negative connotation, its sensible to say that most people would not choose to walk at night and especially if it is raining. This dynamic between people and rainy weather opens up the poem to the lonely aspect and tone of this poem. Logically, no one would rightfully choose to walk out in the rain at night but the character has “walked out in the rain -  and back in the rain”, (P. 130) alone.

     In the second stanza, the author writes about the characters interaction with those who still are out at night, dutiful watchmen. In this interaction, the character has “passed by the watchman”. This interaction does not exhibit anything unordinary until the reader learns about how the character further handles this contact. It states he “dropped [his] eyes, unwilling to explain” (P. 130). This shows that the character indirectly acknowledged how unusual his presence at this time of night is. Unfortunately, he had nothing to say for himself.

     Lastly, the poem begins and ends with the phrase “I have been acquainted with night”. Through the entirety of the poem, nothing has changed. By repeating this phrase, it is almost as if the author wanted readers to assume that this interaction has taken place many times before. Nothing about this acquaintance is new to the character; the character and the night are more than just acquaintances.

     In the “Acquainted with the Night” poem, a character depicts his interaction with the night which highlights the loneliness of the human condition. This poem is not one of happiness or delight but instead aloneness and solitude. The images described and phrases used in the poem stress the overall dark tone. Robert Frost uses this work to emphasize two aspects: darkness and lonesome human condition. 

Work Cited

"Robert Frost." The Seagull Reader Poems. Ed. Joseph Kelly. 2nd ed. Print.