Hopelessness is the main theme. That the man in Dobyns's poem It's like This is comforted by the darkness and that the speaker of the poem likens the same darkness to a sensual embrace create a sense of hopelessness in this poem. If darkness is the only thing that soothes this man, he is forever lost in an unreal world where there is no light. If there is light in his dreams, it is only his imagination playing tricks on him, just as the darkness pretends to be a lover. A soul in darkness is not a positive image. It does not translate as someone who is inspired.