The Dark Forest

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The Dark Forest

by Edward Thomas

Dark is the forest and deep, and overhead
Hang stars like seeds of light
In vain, though not since they were sown was bred
Anything more bright.

And evermore mighty multitudes ride
About, nor enter in;
Of the other multitudes that dwell inside
Never yet was one seen.

The forest foxglove is purple, the marguerite
Outside is gold and white,
Nor can those that pluck either blossom greet
The others, day or night.

__________________________

The Dark Forest is a twelve line poem by Edward Thomas, divided into three four-line stanzas, each with an ABAB rhyme scheme. There is no set meter, though the odd-numbered lines contain 10-12 syllables while the even numbered lines generally have five to six. The poem is an extended metaphor discussing separation between life and death, and darkness and light.

Stanza One:

Dark is the forest and deep, and overhead
Hang stars like seeds of light
In vain, though not since they were sown was bred
Anything more bright.

The literal picture here described is one of a forest at night, grown to a degree that the stars of the night do not penetrate its leafy ceiling. The first stanza utilizes the technique of enjambment to such a degree that the rhythm of the poem is quite interesting and not easy to find initially. The description of stars as like seeds is an example of simile, used to effect a sense that the stars are small in the midst of dense grown foliage. The poet also makes use of allteriation in this stanza, with “dark” and “deep” as well as “stars,” “seeds,” “since,” and “sown.”

Stanza Two:

And evermore mighty multitudes ride
About, nor enter in;
Of the other multitudes that dwell inside
Never yet was one seen.

In this stanza, it becomes more evident that the forest is a metaphor. The use of the word “evermore” affixes a sense of eternity to the description that does not fit reality. He describes multitudes living both outside the forest, and others inside, but those outside are – like the stars – unable to see inside. The most likely metaphor intended, given the descriptions, is death.

The poet continues utilizing enjambment to create an unusual pacing for the piece. He also continues employing alliteration “more,” “mighty,” “multitudes,” to great effect.

Stanza Three:

The forest foxglove is purple, the marguerite
Outside is gold and white,
Nor can those that pluck either blossom greet
The others, day or night.

This stanza requires (at least for me) some consultation with the dictionary.

foxglove:

: any of a genus (Digitalis) of erect herbs of the snapdragon family

especially : a common European biennial or perennial (D. purpurea) cultivated for its showy racemes of dotted white or purple tubular flowers and as a source of digitalis

marguerite:

1: DAISY sense 1b

2: any of various single-flowered chrysanthemums

especially : one (Chrysanthemum frutescens synonym Argyranthemum frutescens) of the Canary Islands

The stanza describes two types of flowers, one grown inside the dark forest and the other grown outside on its edge, in the light. The people who pluck the inside flowers cannot meet those who pluck those outside because the two worlds are separate and cannot be intermingled.

Thus we have a description of a dark forest, impenetrable by light, or persons, and it becomes more clear that the forest metaphor represents death. It is interesting to me that Thomas emphasizes in this stanza the similarities of the world of life and light, and the world of death and darkness. The first stanza describes how unalike the world outside and the forest are while the second and third stanzas indicates that they are not wholly different. They stand side by side, both home to multitudes of people, and beautiful flowers. Yet they are permanently separated from each other. The separation is the point of emphasis. The living cannot intermingle with the dead. The effect is a sense of sadness, or loss, but not a sense that death is a thing to be feared or despised.