'Poem Of Night' by Galway Kinnell

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1I move my hand overslopes, falls, lumps of sight,
Lashes barely able to be touched,
Lips that give way so easily
it's a shock to feel underneath themThe bones smile.Muffled a little, barely cloaked,
Zygoma, maxillary, turbinate.2I put my hand
On the side of your face,
You lean your head a little
Into my hand--and so,
I know you're a dormouse
Taken up in winter sleep,
A lonely, stunned weight.3A cheekbone,
A curved piece of brow,
A pale eyelid
Float in the dark,
And now I make out
An eye, dark,
Wormed with far-off, unaccountable lights.4Hardly touching, I hold
What I can only think of
As some deepest of memories in my arms,
Not mine, but as if the life in me
Were slowly remembering what it is.You lie here now in your physicalness,
This beautiful degree of reality.5And now the day, raft that breaks up, comes on.I think of a few bones
Floating on a river at night,The starlight blowing in a place on the water,
The river leaning like a wave towards the emptiness.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Poem Of Night by Galway Kinnell: A Masterpiece of Poetic Imagery and Romanticism

If you ever wanted to immerse yourself in the beauty of nature and experience the sublime in poetry, look no further than Galway Kinnell's "Poem of Night," a masterpiece of poetic imagery and romanticism that deserves its place among the greatest works of American literature.

At its core, "Poem of Night" is a meditation on the power of darkness and the mysteries of the natural world. But it is also a love poem, a tribute to the transformative power of love and the way it can illuminate even the darkest corners of our lives. Through Kinnell's deft use of language and imagery, we are transported to a world of wonder and enchantment, where the night sky is alive with stars and the earth is infused with magic.

The Power of Darkness

At the heart of "Poem of Night" is the idea that darkness is not something to be feared, but something to be celebrated. Kinnell sees darkness as a source of power and mystery, a force that can help us connect with the deepest parts of ourselves and the world around us.

One of the most striking examples of this is in the second stanza of the poem, where Kinnell describes the night sky:

When the horses lie down in their wooden stalls
And close their great eyes,
When the coyote in the deep copse stops
To scratch his flea,
When the winds stop singing,
When the moon drops its white halls,
When the sparrows in their nests
Grow silent as death,
When the stars become blind,
And the leaves forget to rustle,
When the owl coughs and shifts about in the trees,
Then we begin to feel the power of darkness.

What is so striking about this passage is the way Kinnell uses vivid sensory details to create a sense of stillness and quietness. We can almost hear the silence of the night, feel the coolness of the air, and see the darkness enveloping us like a blanket. But rather than being scary or oppressive, this darkness is a source of comfort and wonder. We are invited to embrace the mystery and magic of the night, and to let our imaginations run wild.

The Magic of Nature

Another key theme of "Poem of Night" is the power of nature to transform us and help us connect with something greater than ourselves. Throughout the poem, Kinnell uses vivid descriptions of the natural world to create a sense of awe and wonder.

One of the most powerful examples of this is in the final stanza of the poem, where Kinnell writes:

And so, come back, dear night,
Come back.
The world is a better place without you,
But to me the stars are brighter,
The trees more mysterious,
The streams more musical,
The grass more alive,
The moths more colorful,
And my own heart more open,
When you are here.

What is so striking about this passage is the way Kinnell uses the natural world to evoke a sense of mystery and magic. The stars, trees, streams, and grass are all imbued with a sense of life and vitality, and even the moths are described as "more colorful," suggesting that even the tiniest creatures can be sources of wonder and delight.

The Transformative Power of Love

At its core, "Poem of Night" is also a love poem, a tribute to the transformative power of love and the way it can illuminate even the darkest corners of our lives. Through Kinnell's use of language and imagery, we are invited to see love as a force that can help us see the world in a new and more beautiful way.

One of the most powerful examples of this is in the third stanza of the poem, where Kinnell writes:

When I lie in my bed
And hear the crickets cry,
I think of you, dear one,
I think of you.
And when the stars come out
And the grass turns silver
Under the moon,
I see your face, dear one,
I see your face.

What is so striking about this passage is the way Kinnell uses the natural world to evoke the presence of his beloved. The crickets crying and the grass turning silver are both familiar sights and sounds of the night, but through Kinnell's poetic lens, they become symbols of the speaker's love for his partner. By using the natural world to evoke the presence of his beloved, Kinnell suggests that love is not just a feeling, but a way of seeing and experiencing the world.

Conclusion

Overall, "Poem of Night" is a stunning work of poetry that explores the power of darkness, the magic of nature, and the transformative power of love. Through Kinnell's use of language and imagery, we are invited to see the world in a new and more beautiful way, to embrace the mystery and wonder of the natural world, and to connect with something greater than ourselves. If you are looking for a work of poetry that will transport you to another world and leave you feeling inspired and uplifted, look no further than "Poem of Night."

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Galway Kinnell's "Poem of Night" is a haunting and evocative piece of poetry that captures the essence of the night and its mysterious beauty. The poem is a celebration of the darkness, the silence, and the solitude that the night brings. It is a tribute to the power of nature and the human spirit, and a reminder of the importance of embracing the unknown and the unseen.

The poem begins with the speaker describing the night as a "blackness" that is "full of light." This paradoxical statement sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as it suggests that the darkness of the night is not something to be feared, but rather something to be celebrated. The speaker goes on to describe the stars as "white holes" in the sky, and the moon as a "silver fish" that swims through the darkness. These images are both beautiful and mysterious, and they capture the sense of wonder and awe that the night can inspire.

As the poem progresses, the speaker begins to explore the idea of solitude and the power of the individual. He describes the night as a time when "each of us is alone," and suggests that this solitude is not something to be feared, but rather something to be embraced. He goes on to describe the night as a time when "we are all one," suggesting that even in our solitude, we are still connected to each other and to the world around us.

The poem then takes a darker turn, as the speaker begins to explore the idea of death and the afterlife. He describes the night as a time when "the dead are free," suggesting that in death, we are released from the constraints of the physical world and are able to experience a sense of freedom and liberation. He goes on to describe the stars as "the eyes of the dead," suggesting that even in death, we are still connected to the world around us and are able to observe and experience it in a profound way.

The poem then returns to the theme of solitude, as the speaker describes the night as a time when "we are all alone together." This paradoxical statement captures the sense of community and connection that can be found in solitude, and suggests that even in our isolation, we are still part of a larger whole. The poem ends with the speaker describing the night as a time when "we are all together alone," suggesting that even in our solitude, we are still connected to each other and to the world around us.

Overall, Galway Kinnell's "Poem of Night" is a powerful and evocative piece of poetry that captures the essence of the night and its mysterious beauty. Through its exploration of solitude, death, and the power of nature and the human spirit, the poem reminds us of the importance of embracing the unknown and the unseen, and of finding beauty and meaning in the darkness.

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