In Theodore Roethke's self-reflexive poem, “The Waking,” the speaker considers the brevity of life lived within the constraints of time, while contemplating the uncertainties faced by an individual, which realizes an earthly and spiritual nature, faced with the unknown realm of that which lies beyond what the human eye can see. The speaker uses a unique imagination and figurative language, and the rhyming schemes and refrains of the poem's outer form dramatize the speaker's feelings about the cycle of life, as the plot of “Awakening” transcends both time and the space. The title itself carries the connotation of an awakening or awakening of consciousness, as expressed in a metaphor of awakening from sleep, and this forms the basic outline of the poem. Roethke's villanelle, "The Waking," written in iambic pentameter with a distinct rhyme scheme, flows smoothly from stanza to stanza. The theme of waking and sleeping or, more specifically, the cycle of life and death, is reinforced by the rhythmic movement of the poem's external form. Additionally, each stanza is connected by a combination of two refrains that declare: "I sleep to wake and take my waking slowly" (1, 6, 12, 18), and "I learn by going where I must go" (3, 9, 15 , 19). The repetition of these two lines provides a distinct rhythm that cleverly marks the passage of time. What is inferred from these two lines, and what is the meaning of their repeated use by the speaker? The first of several paradoxes in "The Waking", the refrain, "I wake to sleep, and take my waking easy" seems to express the existence of an altered state of consciousness during sleep, and in the limited time frame of life, the speaker decides to make the most of the trip. At the beginning of the poem there remains the sp...... middle of the paper ......ns. The conclusion forms a full circle as the speaker declares with strengthened certainty, “I wake to sleep and wake slowly. I learn by going where I need to go” (18-19). Finally, “The Waking” is a moving look at the paradoxical cycle of life, and the poetic form of this villanelle is perfectly represented in its mystical language, rhyme schemes and refrains. Works Cited Holy Bible, New American Standard Translation. Network. November 15, 2013.Roethke, Theodore. “The Awakening”. Poems, poets, poetry, introduction and anthology, 3rd edition. Ed. Helen Vendler. Boston/New York: Bedford/St. Martin, 2010. 571-572. Print.“Theodore Roethke”. The poetry archive. Faber and Faber, Library of America, nd Web. November 15, 2013. Vendler, Helen. Poems, poets, poetry, introduction and anthology, 3rd edition. Boston/New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2010. Print.