An explication of "an old man's winter night"

Isolation, fear, and loneliness are the main points brought out in “An Old Man’s Winter Night”. The poem is about an old man. He is quite aged in years, his hearing is going, his eyesight is going, and he has little left to give in life. This poem uses imagery and personification to help picture what that time of life must feel like. The title clues us in to what is about to read.
This poem tells the story of a lonely old man. It takes place on a winter night, as seen in the title. The man is standing in a room. On the window is frost that has gathered. He stands in the room holding his lamp, but because of his age he is unable to remember his reason for coming in. In frustration he clomps out again. As the poem continues, it says, “A light he was to no one but himself”(l.15). The light spoken of refers to the old man or his inner light, so to speak. It then goes on to say in line 17, “ A quiet light and then not even that”. This l...