# West Town Storm explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ring Lardner.

## What happens

The narrator struggles to find a subject for a poem during a stormy night, with the lights flickering on and off, disrupting their train of thought and creative flow.

## Themes in this chapter

### Humor and Satire

The poem's playful frustration with the flickering lights and the narrator's wry commentary on the situation exemplify a humorous tone.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown Narrator

The narrator attempts to compose a rhyme but is repeatedly interrupted by the storm and power outages.

## Key lines

> I wonder if there’s anything That I, tonight, can rhyme about.

The narrator is searching for a topic to write a poem about this evening.

_Opens the poem with a direct statement of the creative struggle._

> Why didn’t you stay out all night, False lights? For now ideas have fled.

The narrator addresses the lights sarcastically, blaming them for causing the loss of inspiration.

_Highlights the humorous frustration with the unreliable electricity._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/west-town-storm
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters