ROBERT K. MARTIN
89
the basic themes which are developed . I can only outline a few of them here
and suggest their similarity
to
the patterns we have already seen in "The
Sleepers ." The first section is a very brief introduction , particularly in the
1855 edition, where it consists of only five lines which provide a setting and
the argument . In the second section, the process of natural intoxication has
begun. The poet concludes this section by asking the you-reader to' 'stop this
day and night with me ."
It
is clear that, in fantasy at least, the request is
granted, and the rest of the poem is an account of that day and night. At this
very early stage of the poem it is clear that the poet has a sense of accept"ance–
"I am satisfied" he writes-and that acceptance is based on the metaphor of
God as the lover who sleeps with him by night, leaving him" baskets covered
with white towels bulging the house with their plenty ." In the scarcely
concealed sexual symbolism of this section, the genitals are hidden by white
towels , not unlike the' 'cunning covers" of ' 'The Sleepers ."
It
is the coming
of God at night which gives the poet a "bulging basket" and permits him to
accept the day in the knowledge of a forthcoming night and permits him to
ask whether in fact he should
postpone by acceptation andrealization andscream at my eyes,
That they turn from gazing afteranddown the road,
Andforthwith cipherandshow me to a cent,
Exactly the value ofone andexactly the value oftwo,
andwhich is ahead?
In the world of nighttime vision there is no counting, one and two are the
same , real and imaginary lovers are equal.
The poet continues his address
to
you ,
through the recollection of a
previous sexual experience which is the source of his first knowledge of peace :
I mindhow once we lay such a transparent summermorning,
Howyou settled your headathwart my hips andgently turn 'd
upon me,
Andp arted the shirtfrom my bosom-bone, andplunged
your tongue to my bare-stnpt heart,
Andreach 'd ttllyou f elt my beard, andreach 'd ttllyou heldmy feet.
From this reminder of previous love and the insights it gave, the poet turns to
the beginning ofa new sexual experience , which begins with undressing of the
you ;
" undrape! " Once undraped the loved one is subject of one of the most
interesting passages of this poem , section 8, which depicts the progress of life
through sexual metaphor.
