In the second stanza, we again see that the poet is in a domestic surrounding as he is looking out of the window. The fact that he sees "no star" suggests that he can see no light, and thus again hints at the fact that he cannot find the words to fill the "blank page". He can see however "something more near". He does not know what it is yet as he refers to it as "something" but he know that he has more access to it as it is nearer. It is coming from somewhere distant and mysterious as it is "deeper within darkness" which, again, suggests that it is unknown to the speaker. This could be a metaphor for the first idea which will enter "the loneliness", hence his head and start to fill the page. The colon at the end of "star" could again be used to separate the real world from his imaginary world. The colon at the end of the stanza, emphasises the difference between stanza two and stanza three where the former is focusing on the thought that is still outside is head, while the latter focuses on this thought which has entered his head.
In the third stanza we find ourselves completely engaged inside the poet's mind. We learn for the first time that the ,mysterious "something", is in fact a "fox". The "fox's nose touches" a "twig" and then a "leaf". This gives us the impression that the fox is actually searching for something as it is gradually revealing itself. If we take that the "fox" is a metaphor for the poet's imagination, then this suggests that ideas are slowly beginning to become more clear to him, although he does not know what it will lead to in the end. The beginning of the writing process is therefore very delicate, however speed and certainty build up. This is illustrated to us by the repetition of the word "now" which speeds up the rhythm and creates a sense of excitement as the writer achieves his purpose. It also emphasises the mechanical nature of writing.
Stanza four begins with a run on line from stanza three. The "neat prints" which the fox leaves on "the snow" are actually a pun and also refer to the word being printed neatly by the writer on the "blank page". The fox is then described indirectly as a "lame shadow" which "lags". The use of the word "shadow" here is appropriate as it suggests that it is still not clear, but that however it is starting to be more imposing and gaining more confidence. His body however is "bold to come". This too could be a pun as it could also be referring to the body what he is writing which will appear when the body of the fox, or his inspiration, reveals itself completely.
After the "shadows" in stanza four, we can finally see the "eye" of the fox in stanza five. Until now, the fox's shape, that is, the words and ideas for the writer, have been unclear, perhaps without real focus themselves. Now though, as his view is "widening" and the fox is about to appear, the speaker's mind is able too see things in detail. The fact that it is "coming about its own business" implies that the speaker is not entirely in control of the creative process. The use of multi-syllabic words in this stanza such as " widening, deepening greenness, brilliantly" and "concentratedly" makes the reader give each one full weight which helps to achieve extreme intensity and make this the stanza the heart of the poem.
The sixth and last stanza serves as a conclusion to the poem. The sibilance found in "sudden sharp hot stink of fox" creates a hissing sound which illustrates an idea entering the head with the violence of an animal. As he refers to the head as being a "hole" as well as being "dark" suggests that before the inspiration entered it was empty and lifeless. We find the first full stop here since stanza one. This is to illustrate how once the fox, or ideas, start coming they do not stop until they have fully entered the head. We can also observe that the rhythm of the poem gradually increases as the fox reveals itself. The full stop after the word "head" brings us back to the real setting of the poem. In this world nothing has changed as the "window is starless still" and the "clock" still "ticks", however as if by magic the "page is printed". This contrasts and links back to stanza one, where the page was still "blank". The caesura in this sentence interrupts the rhythm giving a sense that the real world is quite dry and boring compared to the writers mind.
In conclusion, this poem is generally about the experience of the speaker, who has recorded his creative experience as a metaphor of a fox emerging from a forest, hence giving the title The Thought-Fox. We feel that the process of writing is almost unconscious. Words form themselves or take place gradually, until they become absolutely clear. The actual act of creativity becomes then a satisfying conclusion to the waiting. For the writer, the imagined setting is the more real and important to him.
