"This is the Dark Time, My Love" 

--we can learn a lot by looking at the titles to poems.

"Dark Time" has the implication of danger, or trouble.  "My love" lets us know that the
poem is addressing someone.

This is the dark time, my love, 

All round the land brown beetles crawl about 
The shining sun is hidden in the sky 
Red flowers bend their heads in awful sorrow 

--Okay, the narrator is addressing someone he (or she) loves, letting that person know
that times are difficult.  The images given are probably not meant to be taken literally.
Brown Beetles crawling about (could be a reference to crop eating bugs...symbolic of
destruction) and the sun his hidden in the sky (the sun being a sign of light and hope, its
being hidden can imply that evil or danger is at hand.)  Lastly, the red flowers bend their
heads toward the ground (another sign of sadness, of despair.)

This is the dark time, my love, 

It is the season of oppression, dark metal, and tears. 
It is the festival of guns, the carnival of misery 
Everywhere the faces of men are strained and anxious

--Here the phrase is repeated about "dark time, my love."  This is probably done for
rhythmic appeal and to reinforce the idea that the narrator is speaking to someone in
particular. The second line alludes to great hostility, with being "oppressed."  "Dark
metal" probably is a reference to weaponry, and tears, well, you know what they are.
Line four contrasts "festival" with "guns" and "carnival" with "misery."  These
comparisons are the opposite of what most people would think of when thinking about a
carnival or festival.  That's what makes them stand out.  The last line shows the strain
that the times are putting on people.

Who comes walking in the dark night time? 

Whose boot of steel tramps down the slender grass 
It is the man of death, my love, the stranger invader 
Watching you sleep and aiming at your dream.

--These references seem to be military in nature...the idea that some invading army is
approaching.  Steel boots could be a reference to armor, or steel reinforced ones.
Notice the way they trample the grass, another thing symbolic of (like the beetles)
something natural and good being destroyed by something alien and unnatural.
"Watching you sleep and aiming at your dreams."  Again, another military-style image,
as in taking aim with a weapon.  The narrator appears to be describing the way that the
invader is destroying the person's chances at happiness and a normal life.
 This is the Dark Time, My Love -Martin Carter

The persona speaks to someone that he cares for. He tells this person that this is the dark time, which is,
in essence, a time of sadness. It is implied, by certain key terms; such as ‘dark metal’, that it is a time of
war. The persona warns his ‘love’ that it is a dark, sad time.
LITERARY DEVICES

1. REPETITION
Stanza 1, line 1 & stanza 2, line 7: The repetition of this phrase highlights that there is something
seriously amiss. The persona is telling his ‘love’ that this is a sad and terrible time.

2. ALLITERATION
This device literally draws the reader’s’ visual attention to the sentence. The sentence implies that
everything that is good and positive is hidden away, or gone. This alliteration sets a sad tone at the very
beginning of this poem.

3. PERSONIFICATION
This device emphasizes the sad tone of the poem. This is the case because flowers are usually
associated with feelings of happiness and cheerfulness. Therefore, if the flowers – ambassadors of joy –
are sad, then it highlights how really sad the times have become.

4. METAPHOR
The contrast in this device is startling. The terms ‘festival’ and ‘carnival’ not only describes fun and
festivity, but also a large amount of each. Both words are associated with huge crowds. This emphasizes
how terrible the times have become because guns and misery are plentiful.

5. RHETORICAL QUESTION

Stanza 3, line 13: This device informs the reader/ audience that a threat exists and that it comes in the
dark of night.

Stanza 3, lines 14 – 15: It is implied that the threat is a soldier through the term ‘boot of steel’. The
‘slender grass’ is the innocent youth who is cut down and trampled by these ‘boots of steel’. The fact that
we are given this information through the use of rhetorical question adds mystery and intrigue to the
poem.

IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES

6.‘All round the land brown beetles crawl about.’

Some variety of brown beetles are scavengers that feed on decaying or dead carcasses. Therefore, when
the persona states that they crawl about, it implies that a lot of dead or decaying bodies exist in the land.

7.‘season of oppression, dark metal, and tears.’

A season is an extended period of time. Therefore, the persona is telling his ‘love’ that it is a period of
extreme sadness. This sadness is brought about by the ‘dark metal’, which can be literally interpreted as
vehicles of war.

8.‘man of death’ 
The man of death, in this context, is the soldier.

9.‘Watching you sleep’

Sleep is a state of extreme vulnerability. This is the case because when one falls asleep, they fall into
unconsciousness, which equates to a state of defenselessness. The fact that the man of death, ie soldier,
watches the persona’s ‘love’ while he/she sleeps, implies that this person is not only vulnerable, but in
extreme danger.

10.‘aiming at your dream.’

The man of death’s purpose is to destroy the persona’s ‘love’s’ dreams, or desires.

MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE 
The mood of the poem is a sad one. The persona is giving his ‘love’ sad and depressing news.

TONE–The tone of the poem is also a sad one.

THEMES–
Racism, War, Oppression, Dreams and Aspirations, places.
THIS IS THE DARK TIME, MY LOVE by Martin Carter

The persona is metaphorically speaking to his country which he calls “My love”.

He tells this person that it is a dark time, which is, in essence, a time of sadness

war and oppression. It is implied, by certain key terms; such as ‘dark metal’, that it

is a time of war. The persona warns his ‘love’ that in this dark time it is important

to be vigilant as there the invader may take away all that they hoped for.

LITERARY DEVICES

1. REPETITION

Stanza 1 & stanza 2 “This is the dark time my love,”:

The repetition of this phrase highlights that there is something seriously amiss. The

persona is telling his ‘love’ that this is a sad and terrible time.

2. ALLITERATION

“brown beetles… shining sun” these examples draw the reader’s’ visual attention

to the sentence. The sentence implies that everything that is good and positive is

hidden away, or gone. This alliteration sets a sad tone at the very beginning of this

poem.

3.PATHETIC FALLACY

Pathetic Fallacy is used to highlight the mood or atmosphere present in a poem.

In this poem, the poet's image of flowers bowing their heads in sorrow helps to

solidify the sorrowful mood/atmosphere of the poem.

Flowers are usually associated with feelings of happiness and cheerfulness.

Therefore, if the flowers – ambassadors of joy – are sad, then it highlights how

really sad the times have become.

4. IMAGERY

The images appeal to the sense of sight and sound. They present visual pictures

that are striking.

The picture of the soldiers, “all around the land brown beetles crawl about”, in
their thick armor, the hard covering on their backs are like beetles.

The tramping of soldiers “whose boots of steel tramp down the

slender grass”. You can also see the slender grass being trampled upon whilst

looking withered.

5. OXYMORON

“It is the festival of guns, the carnival of misery.”

The contrast in this device is startling. The terms ‘festival’ and ‘carnival’ not only

describes fun and festivity, but also a large amount of each. Both words are

associated with huge crowds. This emphasizes how terrible the times have become

because guns and misery are plentiful.

6. RHETORICAL QUESTION

Who comes walking in the dark night time?: This device informs the reader/

audience that a threat exists and that it comes in the dark of night.

Whose boot of steel tramps down the slender grass?: It is implied that the threat

is a soldier through the term ‘boot of steel’. The ‘slender grass’ is the innocent

youth who is cut down and trampled by these ‘boots of steel’. The fact that we are

given this information through the use of rhetorical question adds mystery and

intrigue to the poem.

IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES

‘man of death’

The man of death, in this context, is the soldier.

‘Watching you sleep’

Sleep is a state of extreme vulnerability. This is the case because when one falls

asleep, they fall into unconsciousness, which equates to a state of defenselessness.

The fact that the man of death, ie soldier, watches the persona’s ‘love’ while he/she

sleeps, implies that this person is not only vulnerable, but in extreme danger.

‘aiming at your dream.’

The man of death’s purpose is to destroy the persona’s ‘love’s’ dreams, or desires
Theme:

The theme War, Oppression and Death

Atmosphere/Mood and Tone

The atmosphere/mood of the poem is one of tension, fear, anxiety.

“Everywhere the faces of men are strained and anxious.” This is because of the

presence of soldiers: “all around the land brown beetles crawl about.”

Even nature is sympathetic to the cause of the people as expressed in the line

“red flowers bend their heads in awful sorrow.”

The poet’s tone is one of depression and lamentation for the misery of his people,

the instability and sorrow brought about by the strange invader.