How does Auden tell the story in As I Walked Out One Evening?

VOICE STRUCTURE LANGUAGE SETTING CHARACTER TIME

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As I Walked Out One Evening is a piece of surrealist poetry which
explores the themes of love, isolation and time. The poem follows the narrator
walking through the city of Birmingham, and hearing a secret lovers song, the
lyrics of which express regret and the effect of time on love. Auden in particular
uses the narrative techniques of voice, setting and time to tell the story in the
poem.
The poem is set in the city of Birmingham walking down Bristol street,
however, rural images are also mentioned; such as fields of harvest wheat,
the brimming river and many a green valley. These pastoral images are used
in the poem to add to the romance of the lovers meeting, and as an escape from
the city. Images of water such as the river are used to be symbolic of time, and
the flow of it. Like the water, time does not stop and continues to flow on.
The poem consists of two separate speakers, the narrator and the lovers
song. The song of the lovers demonstrates a defiance of time

How is the use of time important in Audens poetry?

Auden uses time as an integral part of his poetry, especially in As I
Walked Out One Evening. The main theme of this poem is time, and its effect on
people and their relationships. Symbolism for time is used throughout, for
example the images of water the brimming river to represent that time does
not stop.
Part of the poem is narrated through the lyrics of a song for two lovers; the
song addresses the theme of time, and their personal response to it. Ill love
you dear, Ill love you/Till China and Africa meet there is an attitude of defiance
against time, and that their love will conquer it. This is shown through the
impossible feats described, and how their love will continue until these things
happen, suggesting that love can last forever. The song has a cheerful mood
because of the naivety of the lyrics and the notion that time can be defeated by
love; as love can exist outside of time. By this, Auden could be suggesting that
love is blinded by naivety, and cannot see the importance of time and the reality
of the effects of it; the surrealism of the love blurs the lines of reality and skews
the lovers view of time. A lack of responsibility is also implied with the failure to
acknowledge the passing of time.
The mood of the poem changes with the beginning of the reply of the
clocks. The clocks in the city are personified to reply to the lovers, and give a
less optimistic view of the effect of time. This section of the poem juxtaposes the
prior, and suggests that time is not something that can be conquered. The mood
of the poem is changed from carefree to something more macabre and sinister.
Time watches from the shadow/And coughs when you would kiss this shows
that time cannot be escaped, and continues to watch. The phrase coughs
when you would kiss implies that time interrupts embraces, and lovers are
hindered by time rather than conquer it. The soliloquy of the clocks also
expresses regret stare stare In the basin/and wonder what youve missed