In the shadow of the First World War's final months, a remarkable poem emerged that sought to construct a mental fortress against the era's pervasive anxiety. Stella Benson's 'The Secret Day', published in her 1918 collection Twenty, stands as a poignant testament to the human need for sanctuary during times of profound uncertainty.
The Historical Context of a Wartime Poet
Stella Benson (1892-1933) was a multifaceted writer – a novelist, journalist, and committed suffragist – who penned 'The Secret Day' as Europe's devastating conflict approached its conclusion. The poem appeared in June 1918, mere months before the Armistice, capturing a moment when hope for peace coexisted with deep-seated fears about what might follow.
Benson's personal circumstances added layers to her poetic creation. In poor health, she would depart for California later in 1918 on her doctor's recommendation, seeking a more favorable climate. This impending journey to a foreign land likely influenced the poem's themes of separation and the construction of psychological defenses.
Architect of a Day: The Poem's Central Metaphor
The poem's powerful opening establishes its central conceit: "So I have built To-day, more precious than a dream; / And I have painted peace upon the sky above." Benson presents the speaker as an architect of time itself, constructing a present moment as protection against both the exhaustion of yesterday and the threatening arrival of tomorrow.
This metaphorical building project unfolds across five stanzas, each reinforcing the speaker's determination to create a sanctuary. The repetition of "So I have built To-day" functions as both structural device and psychological mantra, emphasizing the conscious effort required to maintain this constructed reality.
Landscape of Comfort: English Coastal Imagery
In the second stanza, Benson grounds her metaphor in tangible, familiar imagery: "And I have built the towers of cliffs upon the sands; / The foxgloves and the gorse I planted on my way." Here, the poem shifts from abstract construction to specific English coastal landscape, conjuring flowers that "grew pink beneath my hands" with almost magical immediacy.
This blending of the metaphorical and physical creates a rich textual landscape where imagined defense structures coexist with real botanical elements. The "velvet thyme" and other coastal flora anchor the poem in a recognizable English setting, even as the speaker acknowledges the artifice of her creation.
The Psychological Necessity of Sanctuary
Benson's poem articulates a profound psychological insight: the need to find refuge in time rather than space. As the analysis notes, "The Secret Day may have emerged from her fears concerning the journey and her future in a strange country. Interestingly, it illustrates the psychological need to find a sanctuary in time rather than space."
The poem's confessional tone invites readers into this intimate project of self-preservation. Simple diction and deliberate repetitions create an atmosphere of genuine vulnerability, while the hexameter lines provide a rhythmic insistence that reinforces the speaker's determination.
Structural Elements and Poetic Technique
Benson employs several effective structural devices throughout the poem. Each stanza concludes with a trimeter line that delivers emotional impact, particularly in the first stanza's admission of basic human need: "Lest comfort come no more." The constant echoes of anaphora (repetition of phrases at the beginning of lines) create a hypnotic, meditative quality appropriate to the poem's introspective nature.
While the poem contains what some might consider sentimental elements – such as the capitalized "Secret Friend" – it maintains intensity through its original conception and authentic voice. The metaphorical progression from building a house to constructing a wall reflects the escalating need for protection as the poem develops.
Literary Legacy and Later Recognition
Though Benson focused primarily on fiction and journalism throughout her career, Twenty represents her only full poetry collection published during her lifetime. Her work received notable posthumous recognition when Philip Larkin included two Benson poems in his 1972 Oxford Anthology of 20th Century English Verse.
This late acknowledgment speaks to the enduring quality of Benson's poetic vision. As the analysis observes, "Despite its moments of sentimentality, Benson's poem doesn't lack intensity and originality." The closing lines – "No storm shall stir my sea. No night but mine shall shade / This day that I have made" – maintain a defiant claim to sanctuary even as the constructed day fades toward nightfall.
'The Secret Day' remains a compelling exploration of how individuals create psychological refuge during turbulent times. Written as the First World War drew to its bloody conclusion, Benson's poem speaks across the decades about the universal human need to build moments of peace against the relentless march of uncertain tomorrows.
