Sunday, February 15, 2009


On A Night Last Week

Was I really supposed to sleep? With a moon like that one dangling up in the sky above my window? A moon that sang out to me in a silver aria from behind a wispy veil of winter cloud that draped across its face like the tissue-thin lampshade of a glowing Chinese lantern. This moon lantern that radiated a cool light, that illuminated every surface of my room as if midday in a ghostly story of old. Was I really supposed to pull the covers up under my chin, fold my hands, close my eyes? Not to get up and sit in the window seat to watch? If so, I should have missed seeing the shadows dance a graceful ballet around the poplar trees. Missed hearing the mockingbird as he eerily sang half a stanza of his favourite tune before realizing he’d been fooled by this trickster of a moon into believing the dawn had come early. I would not have noticed the cavernous quiet that dwelt underneath this abalone moon, an absence of sound found only deep inside the dead of a moonlit night. Oh no, I had to be a witness to this moon this night. Had to sit enraptured beneath his gaze and confide a few tiny secrets to him alone, and eventually to drift away to sleep, grateful he was keeping watch.

In all of spangled space, but I
To stare moon-struck into the sky;
Of billion beings I alone
To praise the Moon as still as stone.

And seal a bond between us two,
Closer than mortal ever knew;
For as mute masses I intone
The Moon is mine and mine alone.

From the poem Moon-Lover by Robert Service

24 comments:

  1. beautiful romantic word picture! thanks Pamela...

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  2. That's very beautiful Pamela...
    The moon and it's shadows are the stuff creative people drink in!

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  3. Gorgeous! And it was here in this corner of the world too!

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  4. Ah, I'm a moon lover too. Your writing expresses perfectly that magic of the moon. Just as you say - how could I sleep when I can 'sit enraptured'.

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  5. The moon was indeed spectacular last week....Thanks for including the lovely poem from the "Bard of the Yukon" Robert Service, a beloved poet up in these parts (Alaska).

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  6. What I really like about you, is your positive attitude towards life - not being able to sleep turning into something that others enjoy reading!

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  7. The moon and the watching of it can fill many hours and make for much speculation - that is the magic I think. Beautiful as always Pamela and thank you so much for the book recommendation on my Venice post - I shall search that out and enjoy the read I know. xv

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  8. So beautiful - I could see the moon's shimmering light and feel its cool presence just from you wonderful words. Thankyou.

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  9. Pamela, you have described this so well... late at night as I watched the moon cast its glow across the bay, I kept asking myself " How can I close my eyes on this?"..

    It was like watching a dream with my eyes open...!!

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  10. I wake up nearly every night and walk around. The last few nights the moon has been a spotlight. I watch awhile, and then it's nice to close my eyes with it staring down at me. Loved this.

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  11. Very nice! I love the pic on the side with Edward hugging you!

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  12. Hello P&E,

    I remember on Tuesday night last week, the moon was very large when it was low in the sky. I love to look at it. I keep threatening to have my camera and tripod ready but I know one could never really capture the magic!

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  13. i love this blog....sir chancelot runs my house...i am enamored...i wil return for more...miss fanciful lead me to you...hugs, rebecca

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  14. what a romantic picture and beautiful poem, i love watching the full moon on a clear night!

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  15. Sleepless nights turn into magic for you!

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  16. Beautiful post - and welcome poem by Robert Service, who once lived not far from here (a cairn stands near the village of Cowichan Bay to commemorate his time here).
    I love the full moon. When we bought our house the builder told us that he'd situated the windows to frame the full moon as it rose in the sky.

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  17. A very romantic post,I was sitting there beside you...did you ever see the movie Moonstruck...
    Love the picture from you and Edward..nice hat:)

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  18. Thankyou so much for cheering me up, with your get well wishes..you are so kind.
    Yes and I could not sleep with a moon so beautiful, flooding my dreams with its mystery...we are special us women and the moon well !! she is special to and she speaks to us like no other...
    Beautiful post Pamela.
    Hugs Lynn xx

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  19. Would not life be sad if there was no moon?
    Beautiful post as ever.

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  20. There is not much that I like better than a full moon. Feels absolutely magical.

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  21. I love your blog and I'm enthralled with the photos and poetry! I want to quote one of the poems about beauty on my blog! I hope that's alright with you! And I would like to add you to my blog list! Thanks!

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I love to read your comments! Each and every one! Though I'm always reading your comments, I may not respond in the comment section. If you want to write me directly, you may do so at pamela@pamelaterry.net. Thank you for reading!