Symbol Analysis
Dawn is an age-old literary device, typically used to represent a beginning, (re)birth, or revelation. In this poem, it seems like each new day the soul struggles with its tie to humanity, but eventually accepts it and resolves to begin refreshed and anew.
- Line 1: Right away we know this is the first instance of waking. Except it's not the body that's getting up here, but the soul.
- Line 4: "False dawn" is an interesting way to start the poem. We were just discussing what dawn means symbolically. Placing "false" in front of it undermines the symbolism at the start.
- Line 6: Morning, because of its newness and purity, is a time for angels.
- Line 24: The sun is coming up…but we knew that already.