Acquainted with the Night
by: Robert Frost

I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain — and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.

I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,

But not to call me back or say good-bye;
And further still at an unearthly height,
O luminary clock against the sky

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.

Alliteration – The repletion of the line “I have been one acquainted with the night.”

Closed form – the poem is written in closed form

Caesura – the long pause in the line “I have walked out in rain — and back in rain”

Image – you see the literary device image a lot because the poem paints a picture in your head of the lonely streets at night.

Rhyme – There is a rhyme scheme in this poem

Rhythm – The lines in this poem carry out a similar rhythm

Tercet – this poem contains many three line stanzas

This poem just talks about the loneliness of the streets and the night and the narrator of the poem gets acquainted with the night or acquainted with loneliness.

This poem by Robert Frost depicts loneliness within the night. The narrator of the poem says he has been acquainted with the night but the deeper meaning about it means he has become one, or friends with loneliness. He talks about walking down the streets alone and hearing cries far away showing that there is no one near by and that he is alone. This concept is shown by the line; “I have walked out in rain — and back in rain.”. This gives the reader a picture that this person walks alone through the night in the rain because he does not have anyone or anything else left. By saying “I have outwalked the furthest city light.” it means they has been everywhere in the city at night or he has been through loneliness for quite some time. By saying the line “But not to call me back or say good-bye;” the narrator displays the image that people would never call him back or say goodbye, which help resulted in their loneliness. This poem is a metaphor for the being acquainted with the night is being one with being lonely.