Robert Penn Warren's Why Boy Came to Lonely Place Explication

Robert Penn Warren's "Why Boy Came to Lonely Place" is a poem of a man looking back at his past self. The lone character of the poem, who remains nameless, is in search of his true identity. He is alone, unnoticed, and wandering. He is running from something, and is unsure of his own reality in this cruel and unforgiving world. Now, as an adult, he is looking back at himself as a thirteen-year old, …

…He mourns his solitary existence, and is left to wonder why he has come to this lonely place. Looking back on his past, the speaker tries to make sense of his meager state. He has wandered to this place only to find himself completely alone. He feels worthless, and is unsure he is real. Warren's "Why Boy Came to Lonely Place" is a poem portraying how it would feel to live such a lonely existence.