And miles to go before I sleep. (lines 14–16) Here is a pull to which anyone can easily relate: the daydream versus the real world, play versus work, fun versus duty.

Jan 1, 2026 · Quick answer: "The darkest evening of the year" refers to the night before the Winter Solstice, indicating the longest night. "Miles to go before I sleep" can symbolize both …

The fact that the speaker repeats this final idea—that he has a long way to go before he can sleep—seems to indicate a good deal of regret that this is the case.

Jan 1, 2026 · Then when he gets to D in "sweep" in the third stanza, he repeats the D rhyme throughout the entire last stanza and even repeats the entire line: "And miles to go before I …

The line "And miles to go before I sleep" is central to understanding the theme of obligations. It suggests that the speaker has commitments that must be fulfilled before he can rest.

Jan 1, 2026 · We do not know what "promises" the speaker has made, but the twice repeated "miles to go before I sleep" may mean that it is a long time before the man will die and that …

And miles to go before I sleep / And miles to go before I sleep These lines express the speaker's struggle between the captivating peace of nature and the pressing responsibilities of life, using ...

Jan 1, 2026 · And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. The speaker experiences a liminal space outside of his ordinary life, and his soul is deeply touched by the …

Finally, the repetition of the penultimate line—"And miles to go before I sleep"—conveys a yearning, or the sense of longing that the speaker has, to stay here.

Dec 7, 2023 · Note what the final stanza says: The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.