A walk by Moonlight

By Derozio

Derozio's A Walk by Moonlight Poetry is the awakening of our

conscience. In A Walk by Moonlight Derozio illustrates how, on a casual
walk, he is allied to all the bliss, which other worlds were told afford.
The walk and observation makes him question life and introspect as
well.
The poem starts with pleasant memories of the previous night. Derozio
feels blessed with a gift. In the future, when his mind is in turmoil and
anxiety, he can ponder and contemplate upon this moment and find a
happy spot in his memories to rest. He says that there are some
memories in our past which we keep looking to, soft hours which are
far away and vague but they never burn out and disappear. And when
some of these memories were thrown across his path the previous night
his heart was so uplifted, he thought it could have flown.
Derozio had been to meet a friend and saw other friends there too. All
were people who thought in the same manner; they shared a common
bond.
Like minds to like mind ever tend
An universal law.
When he asked them for a walk, three at once joined him. They were his
cherished friends two were people with intellectual minds and in age
were his equals, the other was young but endeared by all.
The beauty of the night transforms their thinking and revives their hearts,
which had become numb and feelingless. The poet is deeply touched by
small movements of nature and uses them metaphorically to bring out
the joy and enlightenment that he receives.
The moon looked powerful and majestic in the sky, and benignly looked
down upon the earth. The clouds divided and broke apart in homage

to her worth by not trying to obscure her. The leaves swayed slightly due
to the breeze but Derozio feels that they are actually dancing and
rejoicing for the influence of the moon. The moon in turn seems to
throw light on the leaves and make them silver robes. For the one hour,
when the moon is on its zenith, the leaves look mystic and magical.
The winds too seem to be singing and hymning in praise of the strength
of the moon. The winds take on the role of minstrels, whose songs
provoke Derozios soul.
And there was something in the night
That with its magic wound us;
For we - oh! we not only saw,
But felt the moonlight around us.

He feels that there is something magical in the night that binds them
together in its spell and enchants them with its beauty. They are moved
to such a great extent that they not only saw but also felt the moonlight
around them.
How vague are all the mysteries
Which bind us to our earth;
How far they send into the heart
Their tones of holy mirth;

Amidst such a splendid scenario, the poet turns philosophical and

becomes sensitive to the objects of nature. He first speaks of the
mysterious relationship between man and nature, which though
vague, bind us to our earth. The natural world fills our hearts with
their tones of holly mirth and divine joy.
How lovely are the phantoms dim
Which bless that better sight,
That man enjoys when proud he stands
In his own spirit's light;

Derozio then talks of the lovely old memories which help us in getting a
better insight of ourselves. Due to this awareness we are able to connect
with our spiritual selves. And when this happens, man stands proud;
this is the uniqueness of man to be touched and be enriched by
nature.
When, like a thing that is not ours.

This earthliness goes by,

And we behold the spiritualness
Of all that cannot die.

To understand the universe, we must first understand ourselves. In times

we are living, our senses have become numb. We have lost the
opportunity to be stirred by beauty, but Derozio feels immense joy and
pleasure as his senses are awakened at once. All his memories clear up
and he is enthused by the beauty of Nature. All Nature is Gods creation
and He saw sadness in man. It is only when man is able to release his
soul will he survive and as Derozio glimpses the celestial hand of
Nature, he too becomes divine.
Now enlightened, Derozio realizes that our bodies are mortal. He finds
out that,
This earthliness goes by,
And we behold the spiritualness
Of all that cannot die. The earth and all its beauty is given to us as a
gift. When we understand this, we understand our spirituality and we are
better human beings. This self-realization is sudden and rare
'Tis then we understand the voice
Which in the night-wind sings,
And feel the mystic melody
Played on the forest's strings.
The silken language of the stars
Becomes the tongue we speak,
And then we read the sympathy
That pales the young moon's cheek.

It is then that we recognize the voices that this night-wind sings. The
rustling of the trees, the winds, leaves...everythingit is then that we
apprehend that the mystic melody of Nature carries a message. These
voices make the forest look like a musical instrument. We too begin
speaking the silken language of the stars. Only then do we realize that
it is sympathy that pales the young moons cheek.
The inward eye is open then
To glories, which in dreams
Visit the sleeper's couch, in robes
Woven of the rainbow's beams

Our inner eye opens up and we can see the real possibilities that are
within us. These glorious things may appear to others on the sleepers
couch but we no more see them as dreams. They are not unreachable
rainbows.
I bless my nature that I am
Allied to all the bliss,
Which other worlds we're told afford,
But which I find in this.
My heart is bettered when I feel
That even this human heart
To all around is gently bound,
And forms of all a part;

It is said that such bliss is received only in other worlds (death).

Derozio thanks God and Nature for receiving this illumination in this life
itself. His heart fills with happiness and is bettered when he feels that
he is a part of Nature and Nature is a part of him. They are gently
bound.
That, cold and lifeless as they seem,
The flowers, the stars, the sky
Have more than common minds may deem
To stir our sympathy.
Oh! in such moments can I crush
The grass beneath my feet?
Ah no; the grass has then a voice,
Its heart - I hear it beat.

However lifeless and separated the flowers the stars and the sky seem,
which ordinary minds may not understand, they too have their objectives.
Nature has the purpose to stir our sympathy and move our hearts.
Derozio concludes by saying that he cannot even stamp the grass as he
walks.
The grass has then a voice
Its heart I hear it beat.