The moon has long been a symbol of mystery, beauty, and love. Poets, artists, and dreamers have sought inspiration from its ethereal glow, often drawing parallels between the moon’s soft light and the emotions of the heart. The connection between the moon and love in poetry is not just symbolic but also deeply emotional. Lovers have used the moon to express longing, passion, and even the sorrow of separation. In this article, we will explore twelve poems that beautifully weave together the themes of the moon and love. Each poem offers a unique perspective, from the quiet reflection of love under the moonlight to the wild and untamed yearning that the moon inspires.
1. “The Moon and the Yew Tree” by Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath‘s poem “The Moon and the Yew Tree” is a powerful exploration of the moon as a symbol of both isolation and love. In this poem, Plath uses the moon to reflect on the emotional landscape of the speaker, who feels both connected to and disconnected from the world around them. The moon’s cold, distant light mirrors the speaker’s own inner turmoil, and its presence is a constant reminder of both beauty and loneliness.
Excerpt:
The moon is my mother.
She is not sweet like Mary,
She is not Virgin,
the moon is a cliche
of the lonely soul.
This excerpt captures the tone of detachment and complexity that Plath associates with the moon. The moon here is not a simple, romantic figure but a force that reflects the speaker’s inner struggles and desires.
2. “The Moon” by Robert Louis Stevenson
In contrast to the somber mood of Plath’s poem, Robert Louis Stevenson’s “The Moon” offers a more lighthearted, almost playful view of the moon. This poem, written for children, touches upon the moon’s mystical qualities but also reflects the idea of love as a gentle and comforting force.
Excerpt:
The moon has a face like the clock in the hall;
She shines on thieves on the garden wall,
On streets and fields and harbor quays,
And birdies asleep in the forks of the trees.
Stevenson’s poem evokes a sense of wonder, showing how the moon watches over the world, much like a loving guardian. It reflects the tenderness that is often associated with the moon in romantic poetry.
3. “Silver” by Walter de la Mare
Walter de la Mare’s “Silver” is a gentle, reflective poem about the moon’s light and its connection to love and nature. In this poem, de la Mare describes the moon as casting a serene and peaceful light that touches everything in its path, from the trees to the quiet, sleeping animals.
Excerpt:
Slowly, silently, now the moon
Walks the night in her silver shoon.
This way, and that, she peers, and sees
Silver fruit upon silver trees.
The moon, in this poem, is not only a symbol of love but also of peace and stillness. It creates an atmosphere where love can grow, quietly and gently.
4. “A Noiseless Patient Spider” by Walt Whitman
While this poem does not mention the moon directly, its imagery and themes resonate with the idea of love as an eternal, reaching force. The moon often symbolizes the unreachable distance between two lovers, and Whitman’s poem reflects this longing.
Excerpt:
And you O my soul where you stand,
Surrounded, detached, in the middle of the world,
It is you who are the mysterious one,
It is you who have made the universe your own.
The longing and separation in this poem are akin to the distance between two lovers, much like the moon’s distant, glowing presence above them. It hints at love’s power to pull hearts together, no matter how far apart.
5. “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth
Though “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth is primarily about nature, it also touches on the themes of solitude and love. The poem’s reference to the beauty of daffodils in the moonlight brings together both the natural world and the heart’s capacity for love.
Excerpt:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
The connection between nature, beauty, and love is clear in Wordsworth’s writing. The moonlight’s calming presence in this context suggests that the moon plays a role in shaping the poet‘s emotional response.
6. “Bright Star” by John Keats
John Keats’ “Bright Star” is an intensely romantic poem that uses the image of the moon and stars to convey a love that is eternal. Keats compares his love to the steadfastness of the star, symbolizing how constant and unchanging love can be, even in the face of time.
Excerpt:
Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art—
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night,
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like nature’s patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priestlike task
Of pure ablution round earth’s human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors.
Keats’ depiction of the star as a symbol of eternal love reflects how the moon and stars are often used to symbolize constancy and devotion in romantic poetry.
7. “Moonlight” by Sara Teasdale
Sara Teasdale’s “Moonlight” is a poem that examines the power of moonlight to evoke deep, emotional responses. The moon is portrayed as a silent, yet powerful force, that inspires love and longing.
Excerpt:
The moon is a high and lonely thing,
She is silent and pale,
She is the mirror of my heart,
But I see only her veil.
The moon in this poem represents the quiet, reflective nature of love, a love that is beautiful but often out of reach, much like the moon itself. The veil mentioned in the poem alludes to the mystery that surrounds love and its complexities.
8. “Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot
T.S. Eliot’s “Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” is a modernist poem that uses various images, including the moon, to symbolize emotional isolation and the inner conflicts of the speaker. Although not a traditional romantic poem, Eliot’s work often touches upon the complexities of love and desire, using the moon to symbolize unattainable longing.
Excerpt:
And the afternoon, the evening, sleeps so peacefully!
Smoothed by long fingers,
Asleep… tired… or it malingers,
Stretched on the floor, here beside you and me.
The moon in this poem serves as a metaphor for the vast, mysterious distance that exists between people in relationships, making it an apt symbol for love’s complexities.
9. “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot
T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” is a modernist poem that uses various images, including the moon, to symbolize emotional isolation and the inner conflicts of the speaker. Although not a traditional romantic poem, Eliot’s work often touches upon the complexities of love and desire, using the moon to symbolize unattainable longing.
10. “How Do I Love Thee?” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
This famous poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning is one of the most well-known works that connect love to the celestial. Though it does not specifically mention the moon, the depth of emotion in the poem aligns with the sense of eternal love that is often associated with the moon.
Excerpt:
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
In this poem, Browning explores the depth and boundlessness of love, ideas that are often associated with the vast, unchanging moon.
11. “The Lover’s Moon” by James Whitcomb Riley
James Whitcomb Riley’s “The Lover’s Moon” is a poem that celebrates the moon as a symbol of love and longing. The speaker reflects on the way the moon casts its glow upon the earth, creating a romantic and dreamlike atmosphere.
Excerpt:
O, the moon is so sweet,
As it glimmers in the sky,
Casting shadows that are deep
On the earth where lovers lie.
Riley’s poem evokes a sense of tenderness and closeness, where the moon serves as a silent witness to the love shared between two people.
12. “To the Moon” by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “To the Moon” is a poetic plea for the moon to reflect the beauty of a lover’s face. Shelley speaks directly to the moon, asking it to shine with the same gentle love that his heart feels.
Excerpt:
Art thou pale for weariness
Of climbing heaven and gazing on the earth,
Wandering companionless
Among the stars that have no fellow birth?
In this poem, Shelley addresses the moon as a companion, a symbol of the eternal longing that love can evoke.
Conclusion
The moon has always been a powerful symbol in poetry, particularly when it comes to love. Whether it is the quiet, reflective glow of the moon in Sylvia Plath’s work or the playful, lighthearted image of the moon in Robert Louis Stevenson’s poem, the moon captures the many facets of love. It is at once distant and unattainable, yet comforting and constant. These twelve poems represent just a small sampling of how poets have used the moon to explore the complex, multifaceted nature of love. From the longing and separation of distant lovers to the peaceful, gentle expression of affection, the moon continues to inspire poems that capture the heart’s deepest emotions.
