On Looking Up by Chance at the Constellations
On Looking Up by Chance at the Constellations - meaning Summary
Not Waiting on Heaven
Frost’s poem argues that dramatic change should not be expected from the heavens. Observing stars, planets, sun and moon, the speaker notes celestial motion but insists ‘‘nothing ever happens’’ to alter human life. The poem counsels patience and redirecting hopes from cosmic spectacle to earthly sources of shock, change, and meaning. Though change eventually occurs in general (rain after drought, peace ending in strife), the poem warns against waiting for a personal, timely miracle from the sky. It closes with a calm, almost wry assurance that tonight at least the heavens will remain unchanged.
Read Complete AnalysesYou’ll wait a long, long time for anything much To happen in heaven beyond the floats of cloud And the Northern Lights that run like tingling nerves. The sun and moon get crossed, but they never touch, Nor strike out fire from each other nor crash out loud. The planets seem to interfere in their curves – But nothing ever happens, no harm is done. We may as well go patiently on with our life, And look elsewhere than to stars and moon and sun For the shocks and changes we need to keep us sane. It is true the longest drout will end in rain, The longest peace in China will end in strife. Still it wouldn’t reward the watcher to stay awake In hopes of seeing the calm of heaven break On his particular time and personal sight. That calm seems certainly safe to last to-night.
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