Writely Applied

I’m in the mood for a POEm, are you? Here is Edgar Allan Poe’s Evening Star from 1827 influenced by Thomas Moore’s “While Gazing on the Moon’s Light”.

For reference let’s start with Thomas Moore.

While Gazing On The Moon’s Light
by Thomas Moore

While gazing on the moon’s light,
A moment from her smile I turn’d,
To look at orbs, that, more bright,
In lone and distant glory burned.
But too far
Each proud star,
For me to feel its warming flame;
Much more dear,
That mild sphere,
Which near our planet smiling came;
Thus, Mary, be but thou my own;
While brighter eyes unheeded play,
I’ll love those moonlight looks alone,
That bless my home and guide my way.

The day had sunk in dim showers,
But midnight now, with lustre meek,
Illumined all the pale flowers,
Like hope upon a mourner’s cheek.
I said (while
The moon’s smile
Play’d o’er a stream, in dimpling bliss),
The moon looks
On many brooks,
The brook can see no moon but this;
And thus, I thought, our fortunes run,
For many a lover looks to thee,
While oh! I feel there is but one,
One Mary in the world for me

*****

Evening Star
by Edgar Allan Poe

‘Twas noontide of summer,
And mid-time of night;
And stars, in their orbits,
Shone pale, thro’ the light
Of the brighter, cold moon,
‘Mid planets her slaves,
Herself in the Heavens,
Her beam on the waves.
I gazed awhile
On her cold smile;
Too cold- too cold for me-
There pass’d, as a shroud,
A fleecy cloud,
And I turned away to thee,
Proud Evening Star,
In thy glory afar,
And dearer thy beam shall be;
For joy to my heart
Is the proud part
Thou bearest in Heaven at night,
And more I admire
Thy distant fire,
Than that colder, lowly light.

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