SUMMARY OF THE POEM TRAVELLING THROUGH THE DARK:

Travelling Through The Dark is an ironical and sentimental poem composed by William Stafford, where the poet presents the two realities of life, efficiency and responsibilities on one hand and the emotions warmer than responsibilities and deeper than good judgement on the other hand. The poet does full justice to the full justice to both sides of the conflict.

In this poem, the poet describes how he is moved by the death of the pregnant doe. As the poet is travelling along the mountain road at night, he finds deer lying dead on the edge of the Wilson River road and thinks to remove it from the narrow road. As he goes near the deer, he finds her pregnant. Her body is already stiff, almost cold. He drags the doe off and thinks seriously about the fate of the fawn still living and waiting to be born in the womb of the dead doe. The poet is filled with pity as it is impossible for the fawn  to be born. He hesitates to do anything for some time. The traveller thinks hard f....Show More

Travelling Through The Dark is an ironical and sentimental poem composed by William Stafford, where the poet presents the two realities of life, efficiency and responsibilities on one hand and the emotions warmer than responsibilities and deeper than good judgement on the other hand. The poet does full justice to the full justice to both sides of the conflict.

In this poem, the poet describes how he is moved by the death of the pregnant doe. As the poet is travelling along the mountain road at night, he finds deer lying dead on the edge of the Wilson River road and thinks to remove it from the narrow road. As he goes near the deer, he finds her pregnant. Her body is already stiff, almost cold. He drags the doe off and thinks seriously about the fate of the fawn still living and waiting to be born in the womb of the dead doe. The poet is filled with pity as it is impossible for the fawn  to be born. He hesitates to do anything for some time. The traveller thinks hard for all. He knows that his love and pity towards the fawn could not save it as the mother is already dead. He knows that his delay is only a waste of time, so he finally pushes the doe into the river and marched towards his destination.

The poem is ironical and suggestive. The irony is directed towards those so-called nature lovers who drive carelessly and put the life of innocent animals in danger. Because of the human beings irrational and uncontrollable exploitation of nature, the whole civilization is traveling towards the dark road.