To many people, the energy of the night always seems so mysterious and unattainable. It’s completely different from daylight, almost like a whole new world.
The night unleashes its own personality, full of passion and love but also sadness and sorrow. Today we’re going to go through the night with poetry, with these poems about the night.
1. Good-Night by Percy Bysshe Shelley
To hearts which near each other move
From evening close to morning light,
The night is good; because, my love,
They never say good-night.
Good-Night is divided into three stanzas, each of which builds upon the previous one to convey a sense of longing and sadness. the speaker says that saying “good-night” is not a good thing because it severs those it should unite. They suggest instead to remain together, and only then it will be “GOOD night.” Additionally, the speaker expresses their inability to call the lone night “good” because their loved one’s sweet wishes are not there to make the night better. They also express the idea that it should not be said, thought, or understood that the night is good.
In conclusion, the poem is a reflection on the sadness that comes with saying goodnight to someone you love, and the longing to be together constantly. The poem suggests that for true lovers, the night is good because they are always close to each other, from evening to morning light.
2. Night by William Blake
For, washed in life’s river,
My bright mane for ever
Shall shine like the gold
As I guard o’er the fold.’
Night is a peaceful and serene depiction of the end of the day and the arrival of night. The speaker reflects on the setting sun, the shining evening star, the silence of the birds in their nest, and a sense of longing and must seek his own nest. The moon is described as a flower in heaven’s high bower, sitting and smiling on the night. The speaker bids farewell to the green fields and happy groves, where flocks and lambs take delight. The poem describes unseen angels pouring blessings and joy on every living thing, and visiting every beast to keep them from harm.
William Blake finds peace in the thought of the lamb and Jesus who bore its name, and he can lie down and sleep, or graze and weep. Night illustrates a peaceful and serene image of the end of the day and the arrival of night, with the presence of angels watching over and protecting all living creatures.
3. A Winter Night by Sara Teasdale
My room is like a bit of June,
Warm and close-curtained fold on fold,
But somewhere, like a homeless child,
My heart is crying in the cold.
Sara Teasdale describes the harshness of a winter night, with the frost on the window pane and the bitter cold outside. The contrast between the speaker’s warm and comfortable room and the cold and suffering of the homeless is striking. The speaker’s heart is described as crying in the cold, suggesting that despite their own comfort, they are still affected by the suffering of others.
A Winter Night conveys a sense of empathy and compassion for those who are less fortunate, and highlights the harsh reality of poverty and homelessness during the winter. Night can be a time of reflection and contemplation, empathizing and reflecting on the suffering of others.
4. Last Night As I Was Sleeping by Antonio Machado
Last night as I slept,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that it was God I had
here inside my heart.
Last Night As I Was Sleeping is about a dream the speaker had, in which they imagined a spring breaking out in their heart, a beehive in their heart, a fiery sun and God inside their heart. The dream is described as a “marvelous error,” suggesting that the speaker finds the dream to be both unexpected and delightful. The spring, water, and golden bees represent new life and growth, while the fiery sun represents warmth and light. Antonio Machado imagines God inside their heart, suggesting that the dream is an experience of spiritual enlightenment.
Last Night As I Was Sleeping is a poem that effectively explores the theme of night and the dream state that we experience during it. The poem uses imagery and metaphors to convey the idea of new beginnings, growth, and spiritual enlightenment that often comes through the reflection and contemplation of the night. It also highlights the emotional impact of the dream state and how it touches the soul of the dreamer.
5. By Night when Others Soundly Slept by Anne Bradstreet
What to my Saviour shall I give
Who freely hath done this for me?
I’ll serve him here whilst I shall live
And Loue him to Eternity
By Night when Others Soundly Slept describes the speaker’s search for the one they love, who is interpreted as God, with tears and earnestness. The speaker then describes how God fills their hungry soul with good, puts their tears in a bottle, washes their wounds in his blood, and banishes their doubts and fears. The imagery of tears, wounds, and blood suggests that the speaker’s spiritual journey is not an easy one, but through it, they find comfort and peace. The idea of the night being a time of reflection and contemplation is also highlighted, as the speaker finds spiritual nourishment during this time when others are soundly asleep.
In conclusion, By Night when Others Soundly Slept is a powerful and moving poem that explores the theme of night and the spiritual journey of an individual. The imagery and metaphor used effectively convey the idea of the night as a time of contemplation, and Anne Bradstreet’s experience of finding spiritual comfort during this time.
6. Acquainted with the Night by Robert Frost
Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.
Robert Frost starts with the speaker stating that they have been “acquainted with the night,” suggesting that they have spent a lot of time walking during the night. The speaker describes walking in the rain, going beyond the city lights, and looking down the “saddest city lane.” The repetition of the first line in the final stanza emphasizes the speaker’s familiarity and comfort with the night and their solitude, which they have grown accustomed to.
Acquainted with the Night is a powerful and evocative poem that explores the theme of night and the speaker’s experience of being alone during this time. The imagery and metaphor used effectively convey the idea of isolation, loneliness, and a sense of melancholy and longing during the night.
7. Silent, Silent Night by William Blake
But an honest joy
Does itself destroy
For a harlot coy.
The imagery of the night, the torches, and the contrast between day and night effectively convey the idea of the darkness of night and the deception and betrayal that can happen during the day. William Brake compares honest joy to a harlot who is coy, which implies that the speaker may see the joy as fleeting or intangible. This line further emphasizes the idea of the night as a time of introspection and contemplation, as the speaker is reflecting on the nature of human happiness and the illusions that it may bring.
Silent, Silent Night is an illustration of the contrast between the darkness and silence of the night and the bright light and joy of the day. The poem creates a sense of stillness and introspection and encourages the reader to contemplate the nature of human happiness and the illusions it may bring.
8. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes by Francis William Bourdillon
The mind has a thousand eyes,
And the heart but one;
Yet the light of a whole life dies,
When love is done.
The Night Has A Thousand Eyes is a metaphor for the idea that the night, with its many stars and sources of light, is able to see and understand more than the day, which only has the sun as its source of light. Francis William Bourdillon then goes on to suggest that the human mind, with its many thoughts and perspectives, is also able to understand more than the heart, which only has one emotional perspective. The poem concludes by saying that the light of a person’s whole life can be lost when love ends, just as the light of the bright world dies with the setting sun.
9. Meeting at Night by Robert Browning
A tap at the pane, the quick sharp scratch
And blue spurt of a lighted match,
And a voice less loud, thro’ its joys and fears,
Than the two hearts beating each to each!
The imagery of the grey sea, the black land, and the yellow half-moon create a sense of the vastness and beauty of nature. The waves that “leap in fiery ringlets” add to the sense of movement and energy, as the speaker gains the cove with the “pushing prow” of the boat. The slushy sand, which “quenches” the boat’s speed, adds a sense of the physical effort and determination required to reach the destination.
The romantic atmosphere is continued to be built in the final lines, “And a voice less loud, thro’ its joys and fears, / Than the two hearts beating each to each!” convey the depth and intensity of the love shared between the speaker and their lover, and how it surpasses any spoken words. Meeting at Night by Robert Browning is a poem that uses vivid imagery, descriptive language, and romantic themes to create a sense of longing, anticipation, and ultimately, the joy and beauty of love.
10. Deep In The Night by Sara Teasdale
Love in my heart is a cry forever
Lost as the swallow’s flight,
Seeking for you and never, never
Stilled by the stars at night.
Sara Teasdale uses the last stanza of Deep In The Night to convey the speaker’s sense of unending longing and the intensity of their feelings. The comparison of the swallow’s cry to the speaker’s love, both of which are “never, never stilled” by the stars at night, adds to the sense of the speaker’s unyielding and passionate love.
The poem also has an ambiance that is both romantic and somber which is created by the imagery and language used. The Night and the Stars are used to create the feeling of longing and solitude. The swallow’s cry is the embodiment of the speaker’s desire to connect with the lover and the pain of not being able to do so.
11. Youth, Day, Old Age and Night
Day full-blown and splendid-day of the immense sun, action,
ambition, laughter,
The Night follows close with millions of suns, and sleep and
restoring darkness.
In Youth, Day, Old Age and Night, Walt Whitman reflects on the cycle of life and the inevitability of aging. He portrays youth as being full of energy and vitality but also notes that old age may come with the same grace and force. Similarly, he describes the day as being full of activity and brightness but also acknowledges that the night follows closely behind, bringing with it a sense of calm and restoration. But the night follows closely behind, bringing with it a sense of calm and restoration, symbolizing the end of our lives, when we slow down and rest.
Moreover, the imagery of the “millions of suns” in the night also adds to the idea that the night is not just an absence of light, but has its own kind of radiance and beauty. The darkness of the night can be eerie and mysterious, but it can also be peaceful and serene. It encourages us to take the time to reflect and contemplate our lives, to let go of our worries and dreams, and to find peace and serenity in the darkness of the night.
Final thoughts
In conclusion, the night is a fascinating subject for poets, as it evokes a range of emotions and imagery. From the mysterious and eerie to the serene and peaceful, the darkness of the night has been a source of inspiration for many poets throughout history. Whether it’s the twinkling stars above, the soft glow of the moon, or the sound of the waves crashing on the sand, the night is a time of reflection and contemplation, and these 10 best poems about the night are sure to intrigue and inspire you.
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Thomas Dao is the guy who created Poem Home, a website where people can read about all things poetry related. When he’s not busy working on his next project, you can find him reading a good book or spending time with family and friends.
