Post 12: Symbol In A Song & Poem

    The symbols used in Robert Frost's poem "Acquainted with the Night" are similar to the symbols in Sam Cooke's song "A Change Is Gonna Come." Frost's first line says, "I have been one acquainted with the night" and Cooke's first line says, "I was born by the river, in a little tent." Both lines symbolizes how their depression started. Both, Frost and Cooke are struggling with no escape of their feelings. In the line "I have looked down the saddest city lane" symbolizes the darkness within the speaker's mind. Cooke has a similar symbolism in his line, "Oh, and just like the river I've been running ever since." This symbolizes Cooke's struggle and like the river, his struggle never ends. "And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain" is another line where Frost uses to symbolize the darkness he feels.

    Unlike Frost's poem, in Cooke's song there is a belief in a positive ending. Things seems hopeless in Cooke's song, especially with the line "And I say, brother, help me please But he winds up, knockin' me Back down on my knees." This line symbolizes the hopelessness from his darkness and depression. Even though depression is throughout Cooke's song, there is also a belief of something good will come. Several times throughout the song Cooke says, "A long time coming But I know a change gonna come." This is Cooke's way of having faith even though he is struggling from a lot of depression. Frost does not see any type of positive throughout his poem. He even ends the poem with the same feeling of depression. "I have been one acquainted with the night."