A Wakeful Night

By Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Ballad
    In the dark and the gloom when winds were fretting          Like restless children worn out with play,     I said to my heart, 'This task, forgetting -          Is harder now than it is by day.     For a hungry love that hides from the light,     Like a tiger steals forth, and is bold at night.'     The wind wailed low like a woman weeping;          Deeper and darker the dense gloom grew.     And, oh! for the old, sweet nights of sleeping,          When dreams were happy, and love was true.     Before the stars from heaven went out     In a sudden blackness of dread and doubt.     The wind wailed loud, like a madman shrieking,          And I said to my heart, 'Oh! vain, vain strife;     We cannot forget, and the peace we are seeking          Can only be won at the end of life.     For see! like a lurid and living spark     The eyes of the tiger shine through the dark.'     The wind sighed low like a sick man dying,          And the dawn crept silently over the hill.     And I said, 'O heart! there is no use trying,          We must remember, and love on still.'     And the tiger, appeased with its midnight feast,     Fled as the dawn rose red in the East.

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This poignant poem is a powerful exploration of heartache, loss, and the struggle to forget a past love. The poet utilizes the metaphor of a lurking tiger, symbolizing a hungering love that strikes in the solitude and vulnerability of the night. This engrossing image serves as a constant throughout the poem, embodying the relentless pain and longing that can follow the end of a relationship.

The changing descriptions of the wind and the shifting time of day in each stanza create a robust sense of narrative progression, reflecting the speaker's emotional journey. This use of nature as a mirror to inner turmoil is a common Romantic device, and it is used to great effect here. The poem begins in the darkest hours, with the wind personified as restless children, a weeping woman, a shrieking madman, and a dying man, each evoking increasing levels of despair and torment. However, despite the intense pain evoked, the poem concludes with a sense of acceptance, symbolized by the breaking dawn and the departure of the tiger. This acceptance is not joyful but resigned, underscoring the challenging reality of moving forward after a profound loss. Overall, the poem skillfully marries form and content to evoke a moving exploration of love, loss, and the difficult process of healing.

Understanding Ballads

A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music, that has been a cornerstone of storytelling across various cultures. Traditionally passed down orally, ballads are known for their rhythmic structure and often tell tales of love, adventure, and heroism.

Ballads are characterized by their strong rhythm and repetition, making them both memorable and engaging. Here are some defining features:

  • Narrative Structure: Ballads typically tell a story, often a dramatic or emotional tale that unfolds in a straightforward, chronological order.
  • Quatrain Stanzas: Most ballads are composed of quatrains (four-line stanzas) with a rhyme scheme of ABAB or ABCB, which adds to the musicality of the verse.
  • Repetition: Refrains or repeated lines are common in ballads, helping to emphasize key themes or emotions and making the ballad easier to remember.
  • Oral Tradition: Many ballads originated from oral traditions, which means they were passed down through generations by word of mouth before being written down.

From medieval minstrels to contemporary songwriters, ballads have continued to evolve, remaining a beloved form of expression that captures the human experience in a way that is both poetic and accessible.