# I Closed My Shutters Fast Last Night explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Georgia Douglas Johnson.

## What happens

The speaker reluctantly shuts out the beauty of the night, leaving their heart outside in anguish. After a sleepless night, the calm morning returns the heart with a promise to wait for a perfect hour.

## Themes in this chapter

### Isolation and Otherness

The speaker deliberately shuts out the world, leaving their heart alone in the dark.

### Suffering and Resilience

The anguished heart endures the night and is restored by the calm morning.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

The speaker who closes the shutters and endures a sleepless night of longing.

### Hope

Implied in the morning's whisper to await a golden, perfect hour.

## Key lines

> I closed my shutters fast last night, Reluctantly and slow, So pleading was the purple sky With all the lights hung low;

Last night I shut my blinds quickly but hesitantly, because the twilight sky with its dim stars seemed to beg me to stay.

_The speaker's reluctance to close out the beautiful night sky._

> I left my lagging heart outside Within the dark alone, I heard it singing through the gloom A wordless, anguished tone.

I abandoned my hesitant heart outside in the darkness, where I could hear it singing a painful, wordless song.

_The heart is personified as left behind, expressing anguish without words._

> Upon my sleepless couch I lay Until the tranquil morn Came through the silver silences To bring my heart forlorn, Restoring it with calm caress Unto its sheltered bower, While whispering: “Await, await Your golden, perfect hour.”

I lay awake on my bed until the peaceful morning arrived through the quiet silver light, returning my sad heart and gently comforting it back to its safe place, whispering to wait for a perfect future moment.

_The morning restores the heart and offers hope for a future golden hour._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_9_se/chapters/i-closed-my-shutters-fast-last-night
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_9_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_9_se/chapters