A Hole In The Floor

A Hole In The Floor by Richard Wilbur

As Wilbur peers into the hole in his floor, his search for what lies beneath can be equated to his search for his own personality. Looking in the mirror is not enough; rather, one must look deeper, into the brain and into its thoughts in order to truly understand. This is similar to how looking at the floor does not give away all the secrets of a house. It merely gives a general impression, and it can sometimes even be a mask. A Hole In The Floor takes an unusual turn at the end. Veering from its previous content, he states that a sense of mystery, foreboding, and the unknown all rise out of the hole in the floor. These properties make that which we know seem more comforting, and the contrast of the unknown versus the known makes what we know even more important.