The horse rider, stopping, “On the darkest evening of the year” is reflecting the author’s emotions; he is dealing with some sort of a problem or internal struggle. The darkest evening of the year, probably means the worst or most depressing day the author has had. The author is unhappy, and possibly suicidal, the thought of death is appealing to the author. The riders’ horse, thinking “it queer to stop without a farmhouse near” is acknowledging that another piece of the author; or the horse, thinks it is strange to think about death, when there is no “farmhouse near”; the farmhouse being an illness or reason to die. As the horse rider moves on; the author moves away from the fantasy of death, he says “but I have promises to keep.” The rider has things he needs to do, promises to keep. He cannot stop his journey to look at the beauty of the snowy woods, he needs to move on. The author himself has promises to keep, and things he