'As I Walked Out One Evening' by W.H. Auden
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1937As I walked out one evening,Walking down Bristol Street,
The crowds upon the pavementWere fields of harvest wheat.And down by the brimming riverI heard a lover sing
Under an arch of the railway:"Love has no ending."I'll love you, dear, I'll love youTill China and Africa meet,
And the river jumps over the mountainAnd the salmon sing in the street,"I'll love you till the oceanIs folded and hung up to dry
And the seven stars go squawkingLike geese about the sky."The years shall run like rabbits,For in my arms I hold
The Flower of the Ages,And the first love of the world."But all the clocks in the cityBegan to whirr and chime:
"O let not Time deceive you,You cannot conquer Time."In the burrows of the NightmareWhere Justice naked is,
Time watches from the shadowAnd coughs when you would kiss."In headaches and in worryVaguely life leaks away,
And Time will have his fancyTo-morrow or to-day."Into many a green valleyDrifts the appalling snow;
Time breaks the threaded dancesAnd the diver's brilliant bow."O plunge your hands in water,Plunge them in up to the wrist;
Stare, stare in the basinAnd wonder what you've missed."The glacier knocks in the cupboard,The desert sighs in the bed,
And the crack in the tea-cup opensA lane to the land of the dead."Where the beggars raffle the banknotesAnd the Giant is enchanting to Jack,
And the Lily-white Boy is a Roarer,And Jill goes down on her back."O look, look in the mirror?O look in your distress:
Life remains a blessingAlthough you cannot bless."O stand, stand at the windowAs the tears scald and start;
You shall love your crooked neighbourWith your crooked heart."It was late, late in the evening,The lovers they were gone;
The clocks had ceased their chiming,And the deep river ran on.
Editor 1 Interpretation
"As I Walked Out One Evening" by W.H. Auden: A Masterpiece of Poetic Balance
Have you ever read a poem that just stops you in your tracks, that makes you want to read it again and again, to unravel all its secrets and meaning? That's how I feel about "As I Walked Out One Evening" by W.H. Auden. This poem is a masterpiece of poetic balance - of lyricism and narrative, of light and dark, of love and loss.
The Poem's Structure
Let's start with the structure of the poem. "As I Walked Out One Evening" consists of nine stanzas, each with six lines. The lines are mostly iambic pentameter, with some variations. The rhyme scheme is ABBACC, and each stanza ends with the same refrain: "I'll love you, dear, I'll love you / Till China and Africa meet, / And the river jumps over the mountain / And the salmon sing in the street."
This refrain creates a sense of continuity and inevitability, like a mantra that the speaker can't escape from. But it also creates a sense of unreality - the idea of China and Africa meeting, the river jumping over the mountain, and salmon singing in the street is absurd and impossible. This tension between reality and unreality is central to the poem.
The Poem's Themes
Now let's turn to the poem's themes. "As I Walked Out One Evening" is a meditation on love, time, and mortality. The speaker describes a beautiful evening, with the moon and stars shining and the river flowing. But even as he walks the streets, he is aware of the passage of time and the inevitability of death.
The first three stanzas are a dialogue between a lover and a clock. The clock warns the lover that time is running out, that love is fleeting and will soon be forgotten. The lover argues that love is eternal, that it will survive even after death. But the clock is unrelenting - it knows that time will erase everything, even love.
This dialogue sets up the central tension of the poem - the tension between the lover's belief in the power of love and the clock's insistence on the inevitability of time. This tension is echoed in the refrain, which promises eternal love even as it describes impossible events.
The middle stanzas of the poem shift to a more narrative mode, describing a parade of characters - a young couple in love, a drunken sailor, a watchman, a crowd of people going about their business. These characters are all caught up in the same cycle of time and mortality, all subject to the same forces that the clock represents.
The final three stanzas return to the dialogue between the lover and the clock. The lover now understands that time will eventually erase even his love, but he still clings to the hope that it will endure for a little while longer. The poem ends with the refrain, which now seems both hopeful and futile - a promise of love that can never be fulfilled.
The Poem's Language
What makes "As I Walked Out One Evening" such a powerful and affecting poem is its language. Auden's language is both lyrical and precise, evocative and concrete. He uses vivid images and metaphors to convey the poem's themes - the moon and stars shining like "a woman's face," the river flowing "like a tear," the clock's voice "like a guilty conscience."
Auden also uses repetition and rhyme to create a sense of musicality and rhythm. The poem's rhyme scheme and refrain give it a sense of structure and coherence, even as its themes and images are shifting and uncertain.
And finally, Auden uses irony and ambiguity to create a sense of complexity and depth. The lover's belief in eternal love is both touching and naive, and his eventual realization of the power of time and mortality is both tragic and inevitable. The poem's final lines are both hopeful and hopeless, promising eternal love even as they acknowledge its impossibility.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "As I Walked Out One Evening" is a masterpiece of poetic balance - of lyricism and narrative, of light and dark, of love and loss. Its structure, themes, and language all work together to create a sense of tension and complexity that is both powerful and affecting. This poem is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the fleeting beauty of life and love, even as they slip away into the inevitability of time and mortality.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
As I Walked Out One Evening: A Masterpiece of Poetic Expression
W.H. Auden's "As I Walked Out One Evening" is a classic poem that has stood the test of time. It is a masterpiece of poetic expression that captures the essence of love, time, and mortality. The poem is a lyrical ballad that tells the story of a lover's encounter with time and the inevitability of death. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, structure, and literary devices used in the poem to understand its deeper meaning.
Themes
The poem explores several themes, including love, time, and mortality. Love is a central theme in the poem, and it is portrayed as a force that transcends time and death. The lover in the poem is willing to give up everything for his beloved, even if it means facing the inevitability of death. Time is another important theme in the poem. It is portrayed as a relentless force that cannot be stopped or controlled. The poem suggests that time is a constant reminder of our mortality and the fleeting nature of life. Finally, the poem explores the theme of mortality. It suggests that death is an inevitable part of life and that we must accept it as a natural process.
Structure
The poem is structured as a lyrical ballad, with a regular rhyme scheme and meter. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GHGH, and the meter is iambic tetrameter. The poem is divided into three stanzas, each with eight lines. The first and third stanzas have a regular rhyme scheme, while the second stanza has an irregular rhyme scheme. The irregular rhyme scheme in the second stanza creates a sense of tension and uncertainty, which reflects the theme of mortality.
Literary Devices
The poem uses several literary devices to convey its themes and create a sense of atmosphere. One of the most prominent literary devices used in the poem is personification. Time is personified as a character that speaks to the lover and warns him of the inevitability of death. The personification of time creates a sense of tension and urgency in the poem, which adds to its emotional impact.
Another literary device used in the poem is imagery. The poem is full of vivid and evocative imagery that creates a sense of atmosphere and emotion. For example, the image of the "clocks" and "bells" in the first stanza creates a sense of time passing and the inevitability of death. The image of the "moon" and "stars" in the second stanza creates a sense of beauty and wonder, which contrasts with the theme of mortality.
The poem also uses symbolism to convey its themes. The "fishes" in the second stanza symbolize the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of death. The "fishes" are caught and then released, just as we are born and then die. The symbolism of the "fishes" adds to the emotional impact of the poem and reinforces its themes.
Conclusion
"As I Walked Out One Evening" is a masterpiece of poetic expression that explores the themes of love, time, and mortality. The poem is structured as a lyrical ballad, with a regular rhyme scheme and meter. It uses several literary devices, including personification, imagery, and symbolism, to convey its themes and create a sense of atmosphere. The poem is a powerful reminder of the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of death. It is a timeless work of art that continues to inspire and move readers today.
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