Literary Analysis: John Rollin Ridge's 'To a Star Seen at Twilight'

Hail solitary star! 

That shinest from thy far blue height, 

And overlookest Earth

And Heaven, companionless in light! 

5

The rays around thy brow 

Are an eternal wreath for thee; 

Yet thou’rt not proud, like man, 

Though thy broad mirror is the sea, 

And thy calm home eternity! 

10

Shine on, night-bosomed star! 

And through its realms thy soul’s eye dart, 

And count each age of light, 

For their eternal wheel thou art. 

15

Thou dost roll into the past days, 

Years, and ages too, 

And naught thy giant progress stays. 

20

I love to gaze upon 

Thy speaking face, thy calm, fair brow, 

And feel my spirit dark 

And deep, grow bright and pure as thou. 

Like thee it stands alone; 

25

Like thee its native home is night, 

But there the likeness ends,— 

It beams not with thy steady light. 

Its upward path is high, 

But not so high as thine—thou’rt far 

30

Above the reach of clouds, 

Of storms, of wreck, oh lofty star! 

I would all men might look 

Upon thy pure sublimity, 

And in their bosoms drink 

35

Thy lovliness and light like me; 

For who in all the world 

Could gaze upon thee thus, and feel 

Aught in his nature base, 

Or mean, or low, around him steal! 

40

Shine on companionless 

As now thou seem’st. 

Thou art the throne 

Of thy own spirit, star! 

45

And mighty things must be alone. 

Alone the ocean heaves, 

Or calms his bosom into sleep; 

Alone each mountain stands 

Upon its basis broad and deep; 

50

Alone through heaven the comets sweep, 

Those burning worlds which God has thrown 

Upon the universe in wrath, 

As if he hated them—their path 

No stars, no suns may follow, none— 

55

’Tis great, ’tis great to be alone!