Untitled

Stephan Crane

In the desert
I saw the creature, naked, bestial,
Who squatting upon the ground,
Held his heart in his hands,
And ate of it.
I said:  "Is it good, friend?"
"It is bitter-bitter," he answered;
"But I like it
Because it is bitter,
And because it is my heart.

     My first reaction to this poem was it is very different and weird, but I like it.  In lines one through five, Crane creates a disturbing image of a beastly creature eating it's own heart.  I pictures a demonic caveman type ceature.  Then in lines six through ten he describes the conversation he had with the creature.  This made me think of "Heart of Darkness".  Humans are often drawn to dark and terrible things, and even though this may sound horrible to some, it is our nature.  In line six, he asks, "Is it good, friend?" I wasn't quite sure why he added the friend in there.  Perhaps something to discuss in class...