There is a reason
Why the night is bittersweet.
For all the company,
Of stars and starlight,
The moon stands alone.
Alone.
If you hearken to night,
And lay your heart,
Before her dark bowers,
You will find
The gossamer quietness
Of other dreams.
You will breathe in clean dark
That harsh sunlight bespoils
And the soothing balm
Of moonlight,
If the moon be awake.
Your heart will find a bed
Of whispering leaves,
And gentle pillows of the world’s sleep.
But you will partake of all this
Alone.
The creatures of the night
Aren’t fit for company.
The owl swoops alone
On its nocturnal flight.
The bat finds his way,
Blind and alone.
Visions cannot be seen,
In the harsh sunlight,
Of company,
Nor can understanding
Sink into the mind,
In a busy embrace;
That is the condition
Of being able to speak
To Night;
She allows the rarest
Of the rare
To lie awake
In her tenebrous
Magnificence –
They deal with knowing –
Make peace with seeing –
By living alone.
Hearts Still Care 