'The House Of Dust: Part 04: 07: The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light' by Conrad Aiken

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The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light.
The trees grow dark: the shadows lean to the east:
And lights wink out through the windows, one by one.
A clamor of frosty sirens mourns at the night.
Pale slate-grey clouds whirl up from the sunken sun.

And the wandering one, the inquisitive dreamer of dreams,
The eternal asker of answers, stands in the street,
And lifts his palms for the first cold ghost of rain.
The purple lights leap down the hill before him.
The gorgeous night has begun again.

'I will ask them all, I will ask them all their dreams,
I will hold my light above them and seek their faces,
I will hear them whisper, invisible in their veins. . . . '
The eternal asker of answers becomes as the darkness,
Or as a wind blown over a myriad forest,
Or as the numberless voices of long-drawn rains.

We hear him and take him among us like a wind of music,
Like the ghost of a music we have somewhere heard;
We crowd through the streets in a dazzle of pallid lamplight,
We pour in a sinister mass, we ascend a stair,
With laughter and cry, with word upon murmured word,
We flow, we descend, we turn. . . . and the eternal dreamer
Moves on among us like light, like evening air . . .

Good night! good night! good night! we go our ways,
The rain runs over the pavement before our feet,
The cold rain falls, the rain sings.
We walk, we run, we ride. We turn our faces
To what the eternal evening brings.

Our hands are hot and raw with the stones we have laid,
We have built a tower of stone high into the sky.
We have built a city of towers.
Our hands are light, they are singing with emptiness.
Our souls are light. They have shaken a burden of hours. . . .
What did we build it for? Was it all a dream? . . .
Ghostly above us in lamplight the towers gleam . . .
And after a while they will fall to dust and rain;
Or else we will tear them down with impatient hands;
And hew rock out of the earth, and build them again.

Editor 1 Interpretation

The House of Dust: Part 04: 07: The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light

Introduction

Conrad Aiken's poem, "The House of Dust: Part 04: 07: The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light," is a haunting meditation on the passage of time, the fleeting nature of existence, and the inevitability of death. Through its vivid imagery and evocative language, the poem invites readers to contemplate the transience of human life and the inexorable march of time.

Analysis

At its core, "The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light" is a poem about death. The sun, which is often associated with life and vitality, here represents the end of life and the onset of eternal darkness. Aiken describes the sun as going down in a "cold pale flare of light," a striking image that captures the final moments of a dying sun and the chill of impending death.

The poem's opening lines set the tone for the rest of the piece, painting a bleak and melancholy picture of the world:

The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light.
The trees grow dark: the shadows lean to the east:
And lights wink out through the windows, one by one.

The repetition of "cold" and "pale" underscores the sense of sadness and loss that permeates the poem. The trees growing dark and the shadows leaning to the east suggest the end of the day, but also serve as a metaphor for the end of life, as if the world itself is slowly dying.

Throughout the poem, Aiken employs vivid imagery to convey the fleeting nature of existence. He describes the "arc of silver moonlight" and the "stars that shine so white and cold," both of which evoke the beauty and fragility of life. The moon's arc, in particular, suggests the cyclical nature of life and death, with the moon's phases serving as a metaphor for the human lifespan.

But even as Aiken celebrates the beauty of life, he cannot help but dwell on its transience. He writes:

The night comes up that knows no dawn.

This line is particularly poignant, as it underscores the finality of death and the eternity of the afterlife. The night that "knows no dawn" is a powerful image that suggests the inevitability of death and the finality of all human existence.

Interpretation

"The House of Dust: Part 04: 07: The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light" is a deeply affecting poem that invites readers to reflect on the fleeting nature of human life. Through its use of vivid imagery and evocative language, the poem captures the beauty and fragility of existence, while also reminding us of our mortality.

At its heart, the poem is a meditation on the inevitability of death and the afterlife. Aiken's powerful imagery and haunting language invite readers to contemplate these themes in a way that is both beautiful and deeply moving.

Overall, "The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light" is a testament to the enduring power of poetry and its ability to help us confront life's deepest mysteries. It is a work of art that deserves to be read and cherished by generations to come.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The House Of Dust: Part 04: 07: The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light is a classic poem written by Conrad Aiken. This poem is a part of the larger work, The House of Dust, which is a collection of poems that explore the themes of love, loss, and the passage of time. In this particular poem, Aiken uses vivid imagery and powerful language to describe the setting sun and the emotions it evokes in the speaker.

The poem begins with the line, "The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light," which immediately sets the tone for the rest of the piece. The use of the word "cold" suggests a sense of emptiness or loneliness, while the phrase "pale flare of light" creates a visual image of a weak and fading sun. This opening line sets the stage for the speaker's contemplation of the passing of time and the inevitability of death.

As the poem continues, Aiken uses a series of metaphors to describe the setting sun. He compares it to a "wan white horn" and a "thin ghost." These metaphors create a sense of otherworldliness and suggest that the sun is not just a physical object, but a symbol of something greater. The use of the word "ghost" also implies a sense of loss or absence, as if the sun is disappearing into the afterlife.

Throughout the poem, Aiken uses powerful language to convey the speaker's emotions. He describes the sun as "dying" and "fading," which creates a sense of sadness and loss. The speaker seems to be mourning the passing of time and the inevitability of death. This is further emphasized by the line, "And I myself / as one who has been dead and lived again." This suggests that the speaker has experienced some sort of rebirth or renewal, but is still haunted by the specter of death.

As the poem reaches its conclusion, Aiken uses a series of powerful images to describe the setting sun. He compares it to a "thin flame" and a "faint star," which creates a sense of fragility and delicacy. The use of the word "faint" suggests that the sun is barely holding on, and that its light is about to be extinguished. This creates a sense of urgency and tension, as if the speaker is racing against time to capture the last moments of the dying sun.

In the final lines of the poem, Aiken uses a powerful metaphor to describe the setting sun. He compares it to a "white bird," which creates a sense of grace and beauty. The use of the word "bird" also suggests a sense of freedom and flight, as if the sun is soaring towards some unknown destination. This creates a sense of hope and possibility, even in the face of death and loss.

Overall, The House Of Dust: Part 04: 07: The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light is a powerful and evocative poem that explores the themes of love, loss, and the passage of time. Aiken's use of vivid imagery and powerful language creates a sense of urgency and tension, as if the speaker is racing against time to capture the last moments of the dying sun. The poem is a testament to the power of language and the ability of poetry to capture the complex emotions and experiences of the human condition.

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