oureverydayuse

Thursday, January 08, 2009

The winter evening settles down


T. S. Eliot

The winter evening settles down









The winter evening settles down
With smell of steaks in passageways.
Six o’clock.
The burnt-out ends of smoky days.
And now a gusty shower wraps
The grimy scraps
Of withered leaves about your feet
And newspapers from vacant lots;
The showers beat
On broken blinds and chimney-pots,
And at the corner of the street
A lonely cab-horse steams and stamps.

And then the lighting of the lamps.

p. 503

17 Comments:

At 1/25/2009 5:11 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

701 - This poem really doesn't speak of winter to me, it sounds more like a dirty late fall day, or maybe a cold wet spring. What it does do well though is the description of the time of day. The imagery does capture that time where everyone is inside, waiting on dinner, reading, etc. and the streets are looking all gray and deserted by anything but litter. All in all it made me think it was time to make a stew and some tea.

 
At 1/26/2009 3:55 AM, Blogger Danielle Custer said...

i feel like it really doesn't have much to do with winter but more to do with describing how this person notices the change into night and the things that occur when his day is ending. It makes me feel more on the lines of filling up my pellet stove, getting a hot cup of coffee, and getting comfortable in my house.

 
At 1/26/2009 12:08 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Reading this poem I don't get the feeling of "fun" in winter. I imagine those winter days when it has already snowed and now it has turned to slush from a rainy day. Reading this poem makes me think of the city during the time when work is over for the average person and the sun is going down, the streets are slowly getting empty and almost everyone is already home.

-709

 
At 1/28/2009 1:29 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

The writer is describing a cold winter evening as night begins to fall. He was very detailed, explaining every role that took place during that time. I find it interesting.

 
At 1/28/2009 6:18 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This poem reminds me of walking home from work or school on a cold winter evening. The way the author describes the smell of steaks makes me hink of dinner time. The author makes me feel like going home and having a nice cup of cofee or te while watching my boots and gloves dry out and warm up by the fireplace. 725

 
At 1/30/2009 3:16 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I especially like the line:
"And now a gusty shower wraps
The grimy scraps
Of withered leaves about your feet"
I love this description because the old fall leaves generally do look like scraps of seasons past.
However, I think the winter evening is only settling down inside.
-727

 
At 1/31/2009 9:25 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This poem sounds like winter has just passed and now a new season is coming on and the new season sounds like spring because a gusty shower appeareing.

710

 
At 2/01/2009 7:49 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

703-I like this poemn it symbolizes family to me and the fact that its evening and everyone in the neighborhood is settling down from the cold winter day. Dinner is being made, showers are being taken. It just reminds me of home when i was a child settling down and getting ready for bed.

 
At 2/05/2009 1:02 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

To me, i feel this poems describes the end of one season and the beginning of another..,

-711

 
At 2/09/2009 1:53 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This poem doesn't resemble winter so much as the passing of winter an the beginning of a new season. remembering the gray days and looking forward to the steak filled smell in the air. The leaves are withered but soon to be reborn. Its a somber poem about time passing. The streets may remain empty but just for a short time. 721

 
At 2/09/2009 4:33 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

#702- I like this poem. it really speak for itself. My every year winter.

 
At 6/15/2009 1:26 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

this is a nice short poem that describes a few things that teach us much about the time it was written. Eliot even goes as far as telling us the exact time. It seems he may be outside because he mentions the dirty leaves being blown onto his feet.A lonely cab-horse struts by. why is he lonely? The winter night does not have much to offer, until the lamps are ignited and light is brought into the life.
-813

 
At 8/23/2009 9:45 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

What a beautiful poem. I could feel the cool wet night descending on the town. It was like a feeling of going home at winter dusk to the warm comfort of your home. I felt like wrapping my coat tighter around my neck and chin to keep the gusty wet out. I like the seasons so "The winter evening settles down" was great to me. 118

 
At 9/09/2009 3:53 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

i didnt really like this poem. it was kind of lame to me. i didnt really see anything i consider wintery in this poem but i guess the poet is explaining one day in winter. i do see the description of everyone calming down as the day comes to end and their travels are back to their home where they are comfrotable and relaxed. but i really dont get anything else from this poem. not one of my favorite ones from the blog. -113

 
At 9/14/2009 2:46 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

regardless whether it made me think of winter or not, the feeling it evoked was comforting. I reminds me of a late fall just comming up on winter. Reminds me of taking rides in the mountains growing up with my parents just as it begins to really start getting chilly. I can accept the poem for what it is and the feelings that derive from the images it presented. 111

 
At 12/07/2009 5:34 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I cant say this was one of my favorite poem to read. However I feel the author did a great job of describing a winter evening settling down. It is not how I imagine a winter evening winding down myself, however I can appreciate the authors point of view.

014

 
At 12/14/2009 4:13 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree with what mostly have been said from other Class mates. For me I Don't think That the poem reflected winter but more so fall. But, the poem dose have great describing word that help you come up with a picture in your head but just for the wrong season. 003

 

Post a Comment

<< Home