All Hallows by Louise Gluck

I picked this poem from this specific group of poems because at first I did not like it, but then after awhile I believe that I have come to an understanding about it. Because this poem is written about such a celebrated holiday, which has such spiritual meaning behind it, I think the poet is emphasizing the religious aspect of the poem. The poet writes about the end of the harvest, the fields are bare and the animals are in the barn. It is late October and the earth is "going to sleep" in a way because it is not going to grow for awhile. This sense of death is brought upon the reader when the wife in the poem holds out her hand for the spirit. It seems as if she is feeding the spirit the seeds for it to grow. She is calling upon the spirit to come alive now that the earth is done harvesting. This poem is very poinant because in a way I see it as the death of the earth but the birth of the spirit. Even though this "death" does not last forever, neither does All Hallows Eve. Gluck is portraying this poem in this way to possibly shed more light in this holiday and give awareness to the true meaning behind the day.