The Creaking Door by Madison Cawein
The poem explores themes of nostalgia, loss, and the inevitability of death. The speaker addresses a ghost, symbolizing memories of the past and the remnants of a once-vibrant life. The tone is reflective and somber, as the speaker acknowledges the passage of time and the fading of youth and love. The speaker invites the ghost to sit with them at the metaphorical "creaking door" of life, a threshold between existence and the afterlife. They ponder the reasons for their current state of despair, questioning whether it was their unattainable ideals of beauty, truth, or faith in humanity that led to their downfall. As the poem progresses, the speaker laments the departure of friends and the joy of youth, leaving behind only grief and regret. These emotions are personified as "jades" that reveal harsh truths about life and the inevitability of failure. The memories of unfulfilled dreams haunt the speaker, creating a sense of constant yearning for what once was. The poem concludes with a recognition that time cannot be reversed and that death is an unavoidable reality. The speaker reflects on the futility of trying to resist the passage of time, emphasizing the transient nature of life. The invitation to the ghost to linger suggests a desire to hold onto memories and the past, even as the speaker faces the end of their journey. The overall mood is one of melancholy acceptance, highlighting the universal struggle with mortality and the weight of memories.
By Madison Cawein · First published 1902 · Genre: Poetry, Philosophical, Gothic · 353 words
First lines
Come in, old Ghost of all that used to be! -- You find me old, And love grown cold, And fortune fled to younger company: Departed, as the glory of the day, With friends! -- And you, it seems, have come to stay. -- 'T is time to pray.
Come; sit with me, here at Life's creaking door, All comfortless. -- Think, nay! then, guess, What was the one thing, eh? that made me poor? -- The love of beauty, that I could not bind? My dream of truth? or faith in humankind? -- But, never mind!
What this Textopian page supports
The Creaking Door is listed on Textopian as a poem by Madison Cawein, dated 1902 CE.
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- Work type: Poem
- Author: Madison Cawein
- Date: 1902 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Philosophical, Gothic, Romanticism, Melancholic
- Length: 353 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is written in verse, employing poetic devices and structure.
- Philosophical — The themes explore existential questions about life, death, and the passage of time.
- Gothic — The imagery of ghosts and the somber tone contribute to a gothic atmosphere.
- Romanticism — The focus on beauty, emotion, and individual experience aligns with Romantic ideals.
Tags
Mystery · Thriller · Suspense · Horror · Psychological · Fiction · Literary · Classic · American · 19th Century · Gothic · Atmospheric