I+Walked+in+A+Desert

I walked in a desert.
I walked in a desert. And I cried, "Ah, God, take me from this place!" A voice said, "It is no desert." I cried, "Well, But -- The sand, the heat, the vacant horizon." A voice said, "It is no desert."

In this poem by Stephan Crane, there is a person who is walking, in what he thinks, a desert. He crys out, "Ah God take me from this place!" Soon a voice replys back that it is not a desert that this man is in. Then the person describes the surroundings, like one of a desert, and the voice again says to the person that it is no desert. I am thinking that this person is in hell, but thinks it is a desert because of the heat, sand, and vacant horizon. Thoughs three characteristics are ones of a desert and helll. It took me three times to read this and understand it, but once I did, I was shocked and surprised by what the meaning of it is. 1205377148KCa

While reading this poem I found this very fun to read. The man who's walking seems utterly confused into thinking that he's in a dessert due to the heat and exhaustion he's dealing with and trying to overcome. The man goes into a panic and fears for his life for he actually considers himself being located in a desert. A voice replys to the man and informs him that he's not in a desert and then gives a description iof what might be the location. I also agree with KCa, about the character possibly being in hell. The same characteristics are included in both locations, and sadly the man might just be in hell and is confused about his where abouts and how he wound up where he is. Maybe he's being indenial and is hoping he's in a desert instead of the depths of hell.1205422808

What if it's not hell but something else? What else could it be if it's not a desert?1205424356

I liked this poem, probably because it is so easy to read but also because it left me pondering where this is this guy. Personally I think he is in hell, mainly because if the heat and vacant horizon. He cries out to God and asks him to take him away from there and a voice said it is no desert. that just confused me, what does the fact that he is not in a desert have to do with the fact that it's hot and the man is exhausted and wants to leave. Also who is this voice? Personally I think this voice is God, but only because he replied to the man that is talking to God. For all I know that voice could be the devil or just some person. When I read this poem I also thought that maybe none of this is actually happening and it is just a dream and none of it is actually happening. 1205454622

I really think that this poem was trying to describe the characteristics of hell. It is hard to try to figure out what this place could be besides hell relating to a desert. Although, I do have one thought that has some similarity, but a different perspective. I think the heat, sand, and vacant is describing the areas where war in Iraq is going on. So maybe the man is a soldier, who has had enough while patrolling around the sandy terrain and the depths of a bloody battle that serves no perpose now since pratically the war is over. God is telling him that it is no desert but it is war. Looking at this poem can help me realize that besides hell, there may be another possible explanation for this......war. Hell can be just as worse as fighting in a war.1205461229

I personally dont think that this poem is discussing the aspects of either hell or a desert. I think it is describing war. Heat, Sand, and the Vacant Horizon. Yes, these three things are obvious characteristics of a desert, but really if a reader were to think about what this means.. a vacant horizon does not necessarily mean that it is a //horizon.// If someone were to look out ahead of them in a prairie with nothing surrounding them, it would be vacant. However, i think that what Stephen Crane is trying to say here is that there is no end to war.. as far as the eye can see. You look and look.. but you cannot see when or where it stops. As much as people would like it to stop and be then end.. violence and hate are two evil things that will always exsist in our everyday lives.. They are not two things that can easily be "put away." 1205470613