True Night Chapter Summary & Analysis - Summary Summary

Summary

"True Night" is a poem about a man's awakening by raccoons that have raided his kitchen, his subsequent ranting at the animals, and his eventual calming as he realizes the futility of this nightly ritual and the importance of returning to sleep so that he can be regenerated to fully live his life when day comes.

The poem begins as the narrator describes his sleep state as being sheathed in the black of a bed, a dream womb, from which he is rudely awakened by clatter. The noise of crashing metal bowls, jars and plates alerts the narrator that the kitchen is under attack once again by raccoons.

The all-too-familiar raccoon ritual urges the narrator from his bed, where he grabs a stick and heads to the kitchen. His roars chase the creatures outside and up a tree. The man stands at the base of the tree yelling at the...
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