Antigonish [I met a man who wasn’t there] Yesterday, upon…
![“Antigonish [I met a man who wasn’t there] Yesterday, upon the stair, I met a man who wasn’t there He wasn’t there again today I wish, I wish he’d go away... When I came home last night at three The man was waiting there for me But when I looked around the hall I couldn’t see him there at all! Go…” quote by Hughes Mearns](https://sms4smile.com/q/i/ef8/hughes-mearns-86729_haunting_antigonish-i-met-a-man-who-wasn-t-there_290266.jpg)
““Antigonish [I met a man who wasn’t there] Yesterday, upon the stair, I met a man who wasn’t there He wasn’t there again today I wish, I wish he’d go away... When I came home last night at three The man was waiting there for me But when I looked around the hall I couldn’t see him there at all! Go away, go away, don’t you come back any more! Go away, go away, and please don’t slam the door... (slam!) Last night I saw upon the stair A little man who wasn’t there He wasn’t there again today Oh, how I wish he’d go away...””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
An imagined presence haunts the mind, symbolizing persistent, irrational fears that linger despite evidence of absence.
In simple terms: A phantom fear keeps returning, even when it isn’t real.
Key Takeaway
Identify and confront imagined fears.
Themes
fear
imaginary
mind
anxiety
loneliness
Mood
uneasy
haunting
Type
literary
psychological
When to use this quote
- nighttime thoughts
- creative blocks
- social anxiety
- habit loops
- self‑doubt
Key Concepts
psychology
perception
unconscious
repetition
obsession
mental health
self‑talk
Questions to Reflect On
- What “invisible” worries occupy your mind?
- How can you dissolve a phantom fear?
A Different Perspective
The poem may exaggerate fear’s power, ignoring rational coping.