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   amethystrose Teacher
   High School - 9th Grade

   eNotes Editor

   "The darkest evening of the year" would be the night before the Winter Solstice (December 21), which is the longest night of the calendar year.  The man in the poem is riding his horse through the woods on a snowy December evening, and he stops to contemplate the beauty of the woods as they "fill up with snow".  As much as he would like to remain in the quiet splendor of the snowy forest, the man realizes that he has responsibilities and "promises to keep".  He has "miles to go" before he arrives home, so he is forced to drag himself away from the peaceful scene and head home.

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   Posted by amethystrose on Tuesday April 8, 2008 at 4:08 AM