Barks the melancholy dog.

Swims in the stream the shadowy fish.

Who would live in a country town
if they had their wish?

When the sun comes hurrying up

I will take the circus train

That cries, cries once in the night

And then not again

In the stream the shadowy fish

Sleeps below the sleeping fly.

Many around me straitly sleep

But not i.

Near my window a drowsy bird

Flickers its feathers against the thorn.

Around the township’s single light

My people die and are born.

I will join the circus train

For mangy leopard and tinsel girl

And the trotting horses great white haunches

Whiter than a pearl.

When to the dark blue mountains

My captive pigeons flew

I’d no heart to lure them back

With wheat upon the dew.

When the dog at morning

Whines upon the frost

I shall be in another place.

Lost, lost, lost.

The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the poem, introducing the reader to a “melancholy dog” and “shadowy fish” in a rural town. The question “Who would live in a country town if they had their wish?” implies that the speaker is dissatisfied with their current situation, perhaps feeling trapped or bored by the lack of excitement in their surroundings.

The second stanza introduces the idea of escape, as the speaker plans to take a circus train when the sun rises. The use of repetition in “cries, cries once in the night / And then not again” emphasizes the fleeting nature of this opportunity, as well as the speaker’s eagerness to seize it.

The third stanza describes the contrast between the peaceful sleep of the fish and the restlessness of the speaker. “Many around me straitly sleep / But not I” suggests that the speaker is unable to find the same level of contentment as those around them.

The fourth stanza focuses on a “drowsy bird” outside the speaker’s window, which is portrayed as being trapped or stuck, flicking its feathers against a thorn. This could be seen as a metaphor for the speaker’s own feelings of being trapped in their surroundings.

The fifth stanza returns to the idea of escape and the circus train, which the speaker sees as a source of wonder and excitement. The imagery of the “mangy leopard” and “tinsel girl” suggests a world of glitter and fantasy that is far removed from the mundane reality of the township.

In the sixth stanza, the speaker remembers a time when their “captive pigeons” flew away to the mountains. The fact that the speaker did not try to lure them back with “wheat upon the dew” suggests a willingness to let go of things that are no longer within their grasp.

The final stanza brings the poem full circle, returning to the “melancholy dog” from the first stanza. The dog’s “whine upon the frost” is a reminder of the unchanging nature of the speaker’s surroundings. The repetition of “lost, lost, lost” creates a sense of despair and hopelessness, as the speaker resigns themselves to the fact that they cannot escape their current situation.

Overall, “Wakeful in the Township” is a poignant and evocative poem that captures the sense of restlessness and longing for escape that many people experience at some point in their lives. Through the use of vivid imagery and simple language, Riddell creates a powerful sense of atmosphere and emotion that will resonate with readers.