'The House Of Dust: Part 01: 01: The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light' by Conrad Aiken

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The House of Dust1917The 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 wave, ascend a stair,
With laughter and cry, and word upon murmured word;
We flow, we descend, we turn . . . and the eternal dreamer
Moves 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 01: 01: The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light by Conrad Aiken

Have you ever read a poem that makes you feel like you've been transported to a different time and place? "The House Of Dust: Part 01: 01: The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light" by Conrad Aiken is one such poem. It's a hauntingly beautiful piece of literature that captures the essence of time and how it ebbs and flows in our lives.

Background

Before we delve into the poem, let's take a moment to understand its background. Conrad Aiken was an American poet, novelist, and critic who lived from 1889 to 1973. He was a Pulitzer Prize winner and is considered to be one of the significant poets of the 20th century.

"The House Of Dust" is a long poem that was first published in 1920. It's divided into five parts, and each part consists of a series of poems that are interconnected. The poem explores the themes of love, loss, and the passage of time.

Analysis

Now, let's take a closer look at the poem itself. The first line sets the tone for the entire piece: "The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light." This line is a metaphor for the end of a day, the end of a life, the end of a love affair. The coldness and paleness of the light suggest that something is coming to an end, and it's not a happy ending.

The second line continues this theme: "A jewel hangs on the velvet cloak of night." Here, the jewel is a metaphor for something precious, something that's about to be lost. The velvet cloak of night is a metaphor for darkness, which is often associated with sadness and loneliness.

The third line is where the imagery starts to get more specific: "As I walk through the chill, deserted streets." Here, the poet is describing a specific place and time. The chill and deserted streets suggest that it's late at night, and the world is sleeping. The imagery of the streets being deserted creates a sense of loneliness and isolation, which is a recurring theme in the poem.

The fourth line is where we start to see the first instance of repetition: "The wind is singing sad and low." The repetition of the word "sad" reinforces the idea that something is coming to an end, and it's not a happy ending. The low singing of the wind suggests that it's mourning for what's about to be lost.

The fifth line takes us back to the idea of the sun going down: "The moon dips like a silver fish in the black tide." Here, the moon is a metaphor for the end of a cycle. Just as the sun goes down at the end of a day, the moon dips in the black tide at the end of a cycle. The black tide is a metaphor for darkness, which reinforces the idea that something is coming to an end.

The sixth line introduces the idea of time passing: "The years go by in a long procession of changes." This line suggests that time is always moving forward, and we can't stop it. The long procession of changes suggests that nothing stays the same, and everything is always changing.

The seventh line repeats the imagery of the wind singing: "But the night-singing bird Whistles like a lost soul, out of heaven." The night-singing bird is a metaphor for loneliness and isolation, and the fact that it's whistling like a lost soul suggests that it's mourning for what's about to be lost.

The eighth line introduces the idea of memories: "The pale stars watch, and the love-birds mate, and shine." The pale stars are a metaphor for memories, and the fact that they're watching suggests that they're always there, even when we can't see them. The love-birds are a metaphor for the love that's about to be lost, and the fact that they're mating and shining suggests that there's still beauty in the world, even when we're about to lose something precious.

The final line of the poem is a repeat of the first line: "The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light." This repetition reinforces the idea that something is coming to an end, and it's not a happy ending.

Interpretation

So what does all of this mean? "The House Of Dust: Part 01: 01: The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light" is a poem about the passage of time and how it affects our lives. The imagery of the sun going down and the moon dipping in the black tide suggests that something is coming to an end, and it's not a happy ending. The repetition of the word "sad" reinforces this idea.

The imagery of the chill and deserted streets creates a sense of loneliness and isolation, which is a recurring theme in the poem. The wind singing sad and low and the night-singing bird whistling like a lost soul suggest that there's mourning for what's about to be lost.

The pale stars are a metaphor for memories, and the fact that they're watching suggests that memories are always with us, even when we can't see them. The love-birds are a metaphor for the love that's about to be lost, and the fact that they're mating and shining suggests that there's still beauty in the world, even when we're about to lose something precious.

Overall, "The House Of Dust: Part 01: 01: The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light" is a hauntingly beautiful poem that captures the essence of time and how it affects our lives. It's a reminder that nothing stays the same, and we should cherish the moments we have while we have them.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The House of Dust: Part 01: 01: The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light, written by Conrad Aiken, is a classic poem that has stood the test of time. This poem is a masterpiece that captures the essence of life and death, love and loss, and the beauty of nature. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and symbolism used in the poem to understand its deeper meaning.

The poem begins with the line, "The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as it creates a sense of foreboding and melancholy. The use of the word "cold" suggests that something is not quite right, and the word "pale" implies a lack of vitality or energy. The phrase "flare of light" suggests that the sun is not setting peacefully, but rather in a dramatic and unsettling way.

As we move through the poem, we see that the imagery used is both vivid and haunting. The speaker describes the "long empty rooms" and "the sound of rain on the roof." These images create a sense of loneliness and isolation, as if the speaker is trapped in a desolate and abandoned place. The use of the word "empty" suggests a lack of life or vitality, while the sound of rain on the roof creates a sense of melancholy and sadness.

The poem also uses symbolism to convey its message. The house itself is a symbol of the human condition, with its empty rooms and sense of isolation. The sun, which goes down in a "cold pale flare of light," is a symbol of death and the end of life. The rain, which falls on the roof, is a symbol of sadness and loss. Together, these symbols create a powerful image of the human experience, with all its joys and sorrows.

One of the most striking aspects of the poem is its use of repetition. The phrase "the house was still" is repeated several times throughout the poem, creating a sense of stillness and quietness. This repetition also emphasizes the emptiness and isolation of the house, as if it is a place that has been abandoned and forgotten.

The poem also explores the theme of love and loss. The speaker describes a woman who once lived in the house, and how her presence is still felt even though she is gone. The line "Her voice in the whispering leaves" suggests that the woman is still present in some way, even though she is no longer alive. This creates a sense of longing and nostalgia, as if the speaker is trying to hold onto something that is slipping away.

Overall, The House of Dust: Part 01: 01: The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light is a powerful and haunting poem that explores the themes of life and death, love and loss, and the beauty of nature. Through its vivid imagery, powerful symbolism, and use of repetition, the poem creates a sense of foreboding and melancholy that is both beautiful and haunting. It is a classic poem that will continue to resonate with readers for generations to come.

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