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NOW IT'S NIGHT, by             Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography

"Now It's Night" by Robert Desnos unfolds as a dreamlike exploration of the transition from wakefulness to sleep, delving into the surreal landscapes that emerge at the boundary of consciousness. Through a series of vivid, sometimes disconcerting images, Desnos captures the fluid, often illogical nature of dreams, where the familiar becomes strange, and the ordinary world is transformed by the imagination's whims.

The poem begins with an invocation of departure, "You'll go away when you want to," setting the stage for a journey into the night, where the bed becomes an entity with its own desires, "voluptuous like a black velvet corset." This personification of the bed introduces the theme of the night as a realm of sensuality and mystery, where objects take on life and meaning beyond their daytime roles.

The "shining insect" that rests on the pillow, bursting open to regain the Blackness, serves as a metaphor for the release of the subconscious mind as one drifts into sleep. The imagery of bursting and regaining blackness suggests the dissolution of the waking self into the dark, uncharted territories of dreams, where the psyche is free to roam and transform.

Desnos's use of the phrase "The hammering wave arrives, stays silent" evokes the sense of an impending, powerful force that, upon arrival, maintains a quiet presence. This could symbolize the overwhelming but silent sweep of sleep that overtakes the conscious mind, a natural yet profound occurrence each night.

The mention of "Samoa the beautiful falls asleep in the cotton" adds a layer of exoticism and tranquility to the poem, suggesting a peaceful surrender to sleep that is both gentle and enveloping. The query "Rabbitburrow what are you doing with the curtains?" introduces an element of whimsy and nonsensical action typical of dream logic, where unexpected characters perform inexplicable tasks.

As the poem progresses, the imagery becomes increasingly surreal, with shipwrecks stressed under eyelids, wooden birds' warbling mingling with the sound of smashing corks, and a round table set in an emerald clearing. These scenes defy rational explanation, instead creating a collage of dreamlike visions that evoke feelings of wonder, disorientation, and sometimes unease.

The concluding lines, "Loving nerves lamp extinguished at day's end / I am sleeping," bring the poem full circle, from the anticipation of sleep to its realization. The extinguished lamp symbolizes the end of wakefulness and the entry into the realm of sleep, where the "loving nerves" suggest a tenderness towards this inevitable, daily death of consciousness.

"Now It's Night" is a lyrical immersion into the world of dreams and the unconscious, showcasing Desnos's ability to navigate and articulate the shifting, enigmatic landscapes of the mind. Through its rich, evocative imagery, the poem invites readers to contemplate the beauty and strangeness of our nightly journeys into sleep, where the boundaries of self and world dissolve, and the imagination reigns supreme.


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