Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In Robert Creeley's poem "The End of the Day," we are offered a reflective, almost resigned meditation on the passage of time and the inevitable descent into night, both literally and metaphorically. The poem navigates themes of closure, finality, and the transition from light to darkness, which may suggest a broader contemplation on the end of life, days filled with routine despair, or perhaps even a cyclic acceptance of endings.

Creeley’s language is sparse and direct, a characteristic style that reflects the minimalist and confessional nature of his poetry. The opening lines, “Oh who is / so cosy with / despair and / all, they will // not come,” suggest a figure or presence that has become “cosy” or accustomed to despair—a state of comfort in hopelessness or melancholy. This could reflect a sense of fatigue, where despair is no longer resisted but instead passively accepted as part of existence. The phrase “cosy with despair” has a jarring contrast; “cosy” suggests warmth and comfort, while “despair” connotes darkness and desolation, creating an unsettling juxtaposition. This contrast could signify a level of resignation or surrender to the inevitability of despair in the human experience, as if the speaker has moved past the desire or hope for rejuvenation.

The speaker goes on to reflect on the idea of “the last spectacle / of the day.” The “last spectacle” likely refers to the sunset, the final performance before the world slips into night. There's a sense of ritual here, as if the end of the day, like life itself, follows an inescapable rhythm—an event we witness but cannot change. Creeley invites us to “Look!”—an exclamation that seems almost ironic in its enthusiasm. The call to observe the sun’s descent suggests an awareness of the beauty and inevitability of this daily occurrence, but it also underscores the fleeting nature of such moments. The sun’s disappearance is a universal, indifferent cycle; it sinks, and then it is “gone.” This abrupt transition from light to darkness serves as a reminder of the impermanence of life and perhaps of the smallness of individual despair in the face of such cosmic regularity.

In the final stanza, the repetition of “night” and “good night” brings to mind the lullaby or soothing farewell, almost reminiscent of bidding a loved one goodbye at the end of a long day. The language here has a calm, lulling quality, offering a sense of peace or acceptance. There’s a release from the day’s burdens, encapsulated in the simplicity of “good night, good, good / night, has come.” This soothing rhythm could imply a kind of surrender—a gentle yielding to the night, to darkness, and to whatever it represents: sleep, death, or the unknown.

The poem's structure, with its short lines and subtle enjambment, mirrors the fleeting, fragmented nature of thought in moments of reflection. Each line break contributes to the meditative pacing, almost like watching the sun dip lower, one fragment of light after another slipping away until nothing remains. The brevity and simplicity of the language convey a sense of quietude, as if each word and pause leads us closer to silence, to the stillness of night.

Ultimately, “The End of the Day” reflects Creeley's ability to explore profound emotions with minimal language, finding depth in simplicity. The poem presents night not as a fearful end but as a quiet, inevitable part of the cycle, suggesting that despair, too, can be put to rest in the comforting embrace of darkness. The final tone is neither joyful nor sorrowful; it’s one of calm acceptance, a recognition that night, like despair, simply “comes.”

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...