The transition from day to night has been a central theme in poetry for centuries. The changing of the light, from the warm glow of day to the cool stillness of night, offers poets an opportunity to explore a variety of emotional and philosophical ideas. In many poems, this transition symbolizes more than just the passing of time; it often reflects the shifts in human consciousness, the movement between states of being, or the cycles of life and death.
The idea of “when day becomes night” is a poetic metaphor for transitions, transformations, and contrasts. It can represent the passage from life to death, innocence to experience, clarity to confusion, or even the spiritual journey from enlightenment to despair. In examining the moment when the sun sets and darkness envelops the world, poets find rich imagery and deep symbolic meaning. Through vivid descriptions of the fading light and the arrival of twilight, poets invite readers to reflect on the emotional and metaphysical implications of this shift.
This exploration looks at how various poets have captured the moment of day turning into night, not just as a physical occurrence but as a moment brimming with emotional and existential significance.
The Setting Sun: Symbolism of the Day’s End
One of the most common representations of the transition from day to night is through the image of the setting sun. The sun’s descent is often depicted as a time of reflection, rest, or release. The waning light evokes feelings of nostalgia, melancholy, or anticipation for the unknown. The setting of the sun has been seen as a metaphor for the ending of life or an important chapter, leading into the darkness of night which may signify death, the unconscious, or the mysterious.
William Blake, in his poem Eternity, touches upon the cyclical nature of time and the endless cycle of day and night. The line, “The sun’s a thief, and with his steal / Takes that which is the world’s,” illustrates Blake’s conception of time’s inevitable passage, where day (represented by the sun) takes away the beauty and vibrancy of life, only for night to come and restore a new cycle of creation and destruction.
In his poem The Garden of Love, Blake reflects on how the sun, traditionally a symbol of warmth and life, is also linked with loss and sorrow. He writes:
“And I saw what I had never seen,
A chapel was built in the midst,
Where I had often played at the dawn of day.”
Here, the transition from day to night symbolizes a shift from innocence and freedom to the restrictions imposed by societal norms, echoing the deeper themes of spiritual decay and the loss of natural beauty.
Robert Frost similarly uses the image of the fading light in his poem Fire and Ice, which explores the destructive possibilities of both love and hate. The final lines of the poem evoke the end of a cycle, as the poet contemplates the fiery end of the world against the icy cold of night:
“Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.”
Here, Frost uses the metaphor of fire and ice to explore the emotional forces that shape human existence, symbolizing the transition from day to night as a cycle of inevitable destruction and renewal.
Night as a Time of Reflection and Revelation
For many poets, night is a time not only of physical darkness but of emotional depth and intellectual reflection. As the light fades and the world becomes quieter, the transition from day to night invites contemplation, solitude, and the exploration of the self. In contrast to the busy activity of the day, night often represents introspection and spiritual searching.
Emily Dickinson, known for her exploration of nature, death, and the unknown, often reflects on the shift from day to night as a time for meditative thought. In one of her most famous poems, A Light Exists in Spring, she describes the gentle fading of day and how it brings about a different kind of awareness:
“A light exists in spring
Not present on the year
At any other period —
When March is scarcely here.”
The light of spring, like the twilight of day, is fleeting and transitory. Dickinson contrasts the clarity of the day with the subtle mysteries that emerge when darkness falls, highlighting the importance of embracing the changes that night brings, both in nature and in life.
W.B. Yeats, in his poem The Tower, reflects on how the coming of night symbolizes the aging process and the accompanying internal revelations. He writes:
“The day is a stranger,
But the night is a friend.”
Yeats’ relationship with time is imbued with a sense of longing for both the clarity of day and the comfort of night. The transition from light to darkness is both a physical phenomenon and an emotional one, as Yeats portrays night as a place of refuge, where one can rest and reflect on the inevitable passage of time.
T.S. Eliot in The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock presents night as a symbol of existential isolation and despair. Prufrock’s inability to connect with others becomes more evident as the day fades, and he contemplates his life under the metaphorical cover of night:
“In the room, the women come and go
Talking of Michelangelo.
And indeed there will be time
For the yellow smoke that slides along the street,
Rubbing its back upon the window panes.”
The fading of day into night in Prufrock’s world represents his growing sense of disconnection and his inner struggle with his identity. Here, night is not just an external change but also a mirror of Prufrock’s emotional and intellectual paralysis.
Twilight: The In-Between Space
Twilight, the brief period between day and night, is often depicted as a moment of uncertainty, liminality, or transformation. It is neither fully day nor night but a time of transition and flux. This in-between space is often seen as a metaphor for moments of change or ambiguity in life.
William Wordsworth, in his poem Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey, captures the beauty of twilight as a time for reflection and renewal. He uses the imagery of twilight not only to describe the natural world but to represent the way memory and time function in the human mind. For Wordsworth, twilight is a space where the past and present meet, offering a moment of spiritual clarity and connection to the world:
“For I have learned
To look on nature, not as in the hour
Of childhood, but as one who has been taught
To look on nature, and with a better mind.”
In this sense, twilight is not just a time of day, but a metaphor for the process of maturation and spiritual insight, where the past and present coexist and offer wisdom.
Rainer Maria Rilke, in his collection The Book of Hours, often uses the imagery of twilight as a moment for the soul to transcend its earthly constraints. Twilight represents a time of quiet surrender and contemplation of the divine, where the soul can reach beyond the physical world and connect with something eternal. Rilke reflects on the liminal moments of life as opportunities for growth and enlightenment.
Day Becoming Night: The Duality of Light and Dark
In many poems, the transition from day to night is not just about the movement from light to darkness; it is also about the interplay between opposites: light and dark, life and death, reason and emotion, joy and sorrow. This duality is a central theme in poetry, reflecting the tension between contrasting elements of the human experience.
Sylvia Plath, in Lady Lazarus, portrays the transition between light and dark as a metaphor for the cycles of life, death, and resurrection. Plath’s speaker, who has survived multiple suicide attempts, embodies the tension between life and death. The dark represents both the end of the self and the possibility of renewal:
“Out of the ash
I rise with my red hair
And I eat men like air.”
In this poem, the shift from light to dark symbolizes the speaker’s struggle with identity, despair, and the potential for self-reinvention. Night is both a time of destruction and a space for potential regeneration.
William Butler Yeats also grapples with the duality of light and dark in his poem The Second Coming, where the imagery of day turning to night reflects the chaos and uncertainty of the modern world. The poem’s bleak vision is framed by the image of the falcon, whose flight spirals out of control as the world descends into darkness:
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned.”
Here, the transition from day to night serves as a metaphor for societal collapse and the movement from order to chaos, capturing the loss of certainty in the modern era.
Conclusion: The Endless Dance of Day and Night
The transition from day to night is a moment full of symbolic weight in poetry. It represents more than just the changing of the hours; it speaks to the transitions and transformations in the human experience. Whether viewed as a time for reflection, a moment of uncertainty, or a metaphor for the cycles of life and death, the fading light and encroaching darkness serve as powerful metaphors for emotional, intellectual, and spiritual shifts. Through the works of poets such as Blake, Frost, Dickinson, Yeats, and Plath, the moment when day becomes night continues to captivate and inspire, reminding us of the beauty and complexity of time’s passage and the mysteries that lie within.