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Analysis and comments on As I Walked Out One Evening by W. H. Auden

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Comment 4 of 34, added on January 22nd, 2005 at 11:22 PM.

Born Stinger- An analysis of the poem can't be correct unless the full poem is read.

The poem speaks of the ignorance of lovers, thus the obsurd song of the lover, speaking of salmon singing, etc. It goes on to explain that time is the enemy of us all, and though lovers are ignorant and do not realize it, Time will be the ruin of their fantasies of love, just as Time ruins all things.

Cate Greve from United States
Comment 3 of 34, added on November 8th, 2004 at 12:00 PM.

[quote]
the crowds upon the pavement. were fields of harvest wheat. and down my the brimming river. I Heard a lover sing. under an arch of the railway. "love has ending. i'll love you dear,ill love you till china and africa meet, and the river jumps over the mountain and the salmon sing in the street. I'll love you till the ocean is folded and hung up to dry. and the seven stars go squawking like geese about th sky. the year shall run like rabbits for in my arams i hold the flower of the ages, and the frirst love of the world."
[unquote]

The poem speaks of a young lover on a bridge watching the world go by on a normal day while he himself fantasizes about his love. He is day-dreaming. The poet in the narrator who subtly draws to the readers notice the stark irony between the two situations. While the world continues its dreary existence. To quote the poet: 'the crowds upon the pavement. were fields of harvest wheat' - meaning the sun was shining so brightly that people were as cooked as harvest wheat, i.e. ready to fall) and yet the lover is so involved in his fantasizing about his love that he barely notices the pain of the others. He describes his love in emphatically floral terms. [quote - all the lovers statements] oblivious to the goings-on around him.

This poem draws out the irony between two schools of thought that are prdominantly seen in this world at all stages (and ages!) of life. One full of innocence (often mistaken for carelessness) and the other practicality (often mistaken, for pessimism or over-cautiousness). The poets presents these two views and the reader is left but to marvel at the subtlety of the poet in bringing these two viewpoints so perfectly together.

Though I haven't read the rest of the poem, apart from what you posted here, I definitely would like to read it.

Thank you.
Born Stinger


Born Stinger from India
Comment 2 of 34, added on November 7th, 2004 at 6:26 PM.

the crowds upon the pavement. were fields of harvest wheat. and down my the brimming river. I Heard a lover sing. under an arch of the railway. "love has ending. i'll love you dear,ill love you till china and africa meet, and the river jumps over the mountain and the salmon sing in the street. I'll love you till the ocean is folded and hung up to dry. and the seven stars go squawking like geese about th sky. the year shall run like rabbits for in my arams i hold the flower of the ages, and the frirst love of the world."

Toya Robinson from United States
Comment 1 of 34, added on November 7th, 2004 at 6:08 PM.

am trying to understand the poem but it is confussing me. what done the whole thing mean. can you please tell me.

Toya Robinson from United States

This poem has been commented on more than 10 times. Click below to see the other comments.
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Information about As I Walked Out One Evening

Poet: W. H. Auden
Poem: As I Walked Out One Evening
Year: 1937
Added: Feb 20 2003
Viewed: 31677 times


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