Although the poem is steeped in darkness, there are references to light scattered throughout. Often in literature, light is a symbol of hope and renewal; here, however, it represents more of an unattainable ideal (similar to the iconic light in the novel The Great Gatsby, which was published only three years prior to this poem). The first mention of it comes at the start of the poem, as the speaker “outwalk[s] the furthest city light” (Line 3). Here, the light symbolizes the social human connection which the speaker is distancing themselves from as they descend further and further into darkness. The second reference is to the “luminary clock against the sky” (Line 12), a metaphor for the moon. This is another light source that is “further still at an unearthly height” (Line 11), or forever out of reach.