Commentary for 'The Night Side of the Earth.' I was thinking one day about the earth, and the state of the people that cover every area on it. I was thinking about our lives in North America compared to the quality of life of all the poor nations around the world. I was saddened by the way our world has been changing, and how everyone is being negatively affected. It seems like money is the sole importance in this world, and the suffering many people experience daily is of no significance at all. The poem may seem like a gloomy portrayal of the atrocities of this world, but there is a message of hope within. One can find peace in him/herself, and then with an enlightened perspective and a fresh hope, he/she can be of help to others around the world and strive to make our world a better place - one step at a time. There are two voices in this poem. There is the Light, which is the hope, the good, the God if you will. The Light speaks to a Soul and tells the Soul to turn to the light and give his/her sorrow and anxiety over to it, reclaiming peace upon him/herself. The Soul is deeply disturbed by the sin and misery that cover the earth. He/she is so bothered by the appalling fates of society that it takes over his/her life and leaves no room for any other thought. The sole focus of the Soul is on the injustice of the world, and he/she while protesting these evils, does not know what to do to stop them. The Soul represents the people in this world that see our society in the most bare, and realistic way: As a desperate cry for salvation. The poem describes the cruelty of the world in a way that many people may see it. They are intensely agitated with what the world has become and get bogged down with the depressing facts of life. The Light
does not object to these feelings of anguish and regret, but expresses
that people cannot help make the earth a better place when they are
down this black hole. They must come out of the shadows (the violence,
poverty, disease, injustice, capitalism, etc.) of our society and allow
hope to reenter their lives. No good can be done when one is encircled
in evil thoughts; they must be willing to allow the chance for peace.
This is what is meant by being on the 'night side of the earth.' There
is no growth, no development when one is surrounded in darkness. A flower
cannot grow, cannot blossom, without the light, and in a way, neither
can we. By embracing the light, or God, people can find an inner peace
within themselves, and see a purpose and a hope for them that were not
visible before. They can acquire an inner peace, and can subsequently
effectively give from that place. This inner peace, I believe, is a
miracle of spirituality. When one is grounded in such a powerful source
of love, hope, and comfort, it becomes possible to see the light and
the good that exists and to help cultivate the good in the earth.
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