Night by Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1919)
The poem explores the theme of darkness and despair, describing a night that is devoid of comfort, hope, or peace. The speaker describes the darkness as a palpable entity that wraps around them, suffocating them with its oppressive weight. The night is personified as a cruel and merciless force that brings only sorrow and anguish.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1919 · Genre: Poetry, Romanticism, Philosophical · 389 words
First lines
As some dusk mother shields from all alarms The tired child she gathers to her breast, The brunette Night doth fold me in her arms, And hushes me to perfect peace and rest. Her eyes of stars shine on me, and I hear Her voice of winds low crooning on my ear. O Night, O Night, how beautiful thou art! Come, fold me closer to thy pulsing heart.
The day is full of gladness, and the light So beautifies the common outer things, I only see with my external sight, And only hear the great world's voice which rings. But silently from daylight and from din The sweet Night draws me-whispers, "Look within! " And looking, as one wakened from a dream, I see what _is_-no longer what doth seem.
What this Textopian page supports
Night is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1919 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Date: 1919 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Romanticism, Philosophical, Spiritual, Lyrical
- Length: 389 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Night by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Night?
- How does this poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Poetry first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Dreamer by Madison Cawein
- Always At Sea by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- My Soul And I by John Greenleaf Whittier
- Mount Houvenkopf by Joyce Kilmer
- Memorys River by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Moon That Against The Lintel Of The West by Edna St Vincent Millay
Genres
- Poetry — The text is structured in verse, with a focus on rhythm, meter, and imagery.
- Romanticism — The themes emphasize beauty, nature, and emotional depth, characteristic of Romantic literature.
- Philosophical — The work explores existential themes and introspection, encouraging the reader to look within and contemplate deeper truths.
- Spiritual — The text references purity, honor, and the infinite, suggesting a connection to spiritual or transcendent ideas.
Tags
Poetry · American Literature · 19th Century · Romanticism · Darkness · Mystery · Nature · Imagery · Symbolism · Emotional · Introspective · Contemplative