Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

EVENING IN THE SANITARIUM, by LOUISE BOGAN Poet Analysis Poet's Biography

"Evening in the Sanitarium" is a poem by Louise Bogan, first published in 1951. The poem explores the themes of loneliness, illness, and death.

Explanation:

The poem is set in a sanitarium, where the speaker is spending the evening. The speaker is overcome with a sense of loneliness as she observes the other patients, each suffering from their own illness. The poem also explores the theme of death, with the speaker reflecting on the lives of the patients and imagining their eventual deaths. Despite the heavy themes, the poem ends on a hopeful note, with the speaker recognizing the beauty of the natural world and finding solace in it.

Poetic Elements:

Form: The poem is written in free verse with no regular rhyme scheme or meter.
Imagery: Bogan uses vivid imagery to paint a picture of the sanitarium and its patients, describing "pale wraiths," "tremulous shadows," and "insect silence."
Symbolism: The natural world is used as a symbol of hope and beauty in contrast to the sterile, clinical environment of the sanitarium.
Tone: The poem has a melancholy tone, conveying a sense of sadness and loneliness.

Conclusion:

"Evening in the Sanitarium" is a poignant poem that explores the themes of illness, loneliness, and death. Bogan's use of vivid imagery and symbolism creates a powerful and evocative picture of the sanitarium and its patients, and the poem's hopeful ending provides a sense of solace and comfort in the face of these difficult themes.

Poem Snippet:

No, not yet, neither you

Nor the parting that is due

Even though they are looking for you,

The solemn ones, the happy ones too.

Your mind is still

And though they wish it to, it will

Not stir, it holds you like a sleep

And there is nothing left to weep.

The darkness, it grows and grows

And now you welcome it, as it knows

And when it comes you will be free