"We start by admiring the stars even though they don't feel the same way (or any way, really) about us. Then we wonder do we care about them all that much?"
"Were all stars to disappear or die, I should learn to look at an empty sky and feel its total dark sublime, though this might take me a little time."
"Auden could just as well have written, Though this might take a little time. That would have maintained the pattern without altering the meaning."
"That scant word makes the poem last a little longer. It also emphasizes the human presence of the speaker, a person whose perceptions and feelings are what this is finally all about."
The poem meditates on humanity's place in the universe, starting with admiration for the stars despite their indifference. It questions the significance of the stars and imagines their extinction, suggesting that an empty sky could eventually be accepted. The poem's structure, particularly the final line's extra syllable, emphasizes the speaker's humanity and the need for patience in adjusting to loss. This highlights the emotional journey of reconciling with the absence of what once brought wonder.
Read at www.nytimes.com
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