Since we were assigned our first thesis statement, I thumbed through our Norton book to find a poem to write about. I found a few that I liked, and was torn between two. Finally, I decided on one. The one that caught my attention but did not write about was "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" by Francis William Bourdillon. [The poem can be viewed here: http://www.cs.rice.edu/~ssiyer/minstrels/poems/1240.html].
This poem was published in 1889. I believe the genre is somewhat of an ode. It is not long enough to be a sonnet, but it has a definate rhyme scheme. I feel this poem is about what happens to one when they have their love taken away. He makes a comparison by using night versus day; this makes it easier to make the connection.
This poem really caught my attention mainly for the title. It fascinated me; what could one write about the night and the stars? I had to keep reading. Once I finished it, I was extreamly moved. I had never thought to make the connection between light and love the was Bourdillon did. I found the comparison quite beautiful.
In Thom Gunn's "A Map of the City" he also uses the night to mirror his feelings, however, he does this in a much different was than Bourdillon. Gunn uses the night to symbolize the mysteriousness of his city and how unsure he feels about his city. Bourdillon uses the night to symbolize how love can disappear. Both pieces of literature use night as a symbol, but in two extreamly different way.
