The contrast between the natural and the mechanical world in Hathaway's Oh, Oh The French poet and essayist Louis Aragon, in his Paris Peasant, wrote that "the light has meaning only in relation to darkness, and truth presupposes error: we exist only in terms of this conflict, in the zone where black and white collide" (Aragon 18). Aragon observed that the world is full of contrasts, and it is through these contrasts that we live and understand who we are and why we are here. Without an understanding of light, Aragon argues, we cannot understand what darkness really is. Or, without awareness of the concept of truth, it is not possible to make a mistake, since the act cannot be defined. In William Hathaway's poem "Oh, Oh," the poet uses language, word choice, imagery, onomatopoeic descriptions, and even the title of the poem to define the intrusion of the mechanical harshness of the world into the carefree land of nature. The imagery, content, and focus of the poem change with the intrusion of the train. Before the protagonist's girlfriend notices the train, the two characters are worrying about cows, grass and simply walking along a country road. But as the train approaches, and as it passes, the characters no longer care about nature. Rather, they suddenly begin to dream of "being president" (11) and of "wonderful, faraway places" (14). This transition from the serenity of nature to the dreams of the world finally ends with the last line of the poem: a punishment or at least a warning. The quiet and peaceful nature is suddenly filled with "fifty Hell's Angels" (17). But, more than just motorcycles waiting at the railroad crossing, Hathaway personified motorcycles by creating the mechanical Hell... middle of paper... world in which two universes are defined through their contrast. Through its world choices, imagery, and even its title, we are transported to a picturesque country landscape with “cows chewing daisies” (2) and “maple-dappled summer sunlight” (7). In stark contrast to this land is the "lit headlight" (8) of a passing train and the "growl [...] of the Hell's Angels" (17). Hathaway, through her firm command of language, has recorded a poem that, through contrasts, gives us an understanding of both the natural and mechanical worlds in an attempt to show us how we can "look / eagerly to the road ahead" (16 - 17).Works CitedAragon, Louis. Peasant from Paris. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1926. Hathaway, William. "Oh, oh." Bedford's introduction to literature: leading, thinking and writing. Ed. Michael Mayer. 4th ed. Boston: Bedford, 1996. 593-94.