"Good Hours"
I had for my winter evening walk--
No one at all with whom to talk,
But I had the cottages in a row
Up to their shining eyes in snow.
No one at all with whom to talk,
But I had the cottages in a row
Up to their shining eyes in snow.
And I thought I had the folk within:
I had the sound of a violin;
I had a glimpse through curtain laces
Of youthful forms and youthful faces.
I had the sound of a violin;
I had a glimpse through curtain laces
Of youthful forms and youthful faces.
I had such company outward bound.
I went till there were no cottages found.
I turned and repented, but coming back
I saw no window but that was black.
I went till there were no cottages found.
I turned and repented, but coming back
I saw no window but that was black.
Over the snow my creaking feet
Disturbed the slumbering village street
Like profanation, by your leave,
At ten o'clock of a winter eve.
Disturbed the slumbering village street
Like profanation, by your leave,
At ten o'clock of a winter eve.
The speaker in the poem is out on a nightly walk around the village, alone (lines 1 & 2). He enjoys these evening walks, because he wants to feel the warmth of the other families’ nightly gatherings by walking along their lit houses. Through the curtains, he can peek inside and see that there is a homey atmosphere (lines 5-8). Each house has different people and activities, but they all seem very content and cozy. Frost uses an example of personification in lines 3 and 4 by saying “But I had the cottages in a row/Up to their shining eyes in snow”. Houses do not have eyes, and they are in reality the windows. As the title states, the poem shows that time of the day where every family gathers after dinner in the living room and enjoy each other’s company. The speaker might live alone, and therefore goes out to experience some of that warmth he does not have, or he might indeed have a family, but does not have that atmosphere of togetherness. When he’s heading back home, the speaker doesn’t want to make any noise as not to interrupt the families’ evening routine, “Over the snow my creaking feet/Disturbed the slumbering village street” (lines 13 & 14). It seems as if the speaker likes to go out during that short time before the lights go out, and make believe that he has a home and not only a house.
There were no related links that explained this poem, but it is fairly simple and this analysis should be of great help in order to get further understanding.
