Emily Dickinson

Ah, Moon—and Star!

Summary


"Ah, Moon—and Star!" is a short poem in which a speaker gazes at the distant night sky and boldly declares that no firmament could stop her. She imagines borrowing a lark's bonnet and an antelope's stirrup to reach the heavens by tonight. Then the mood turns. One person is farther away than any star, and that distance cannot be crossed. Quiet, playful, and aching, the verse builds from daring fancy to heartfelt confession.

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Ah, Moon—and Star!
You are very far—
But were no one
Farther than you—
Do you think I’d stop
For a Firmament—
Or a Cubit—or so?

I could borrow a Bonnet
Of the Lark—
And a Chamois’ Silver Boot—
And a stirrup of an Antelope—
And be with you—Tonight!

A woman at a window gazes at the moon and a star, a lark in a bonnet beside her, illustrating Ah, Moon—and Star!

But, Moon, and Star,
Though you’re very far—
There is one—farther than you—
He—is more than a firmament—from Me—
So I can never go!

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Credits

Emily Dickinson was a reclusive American poet of the 19th century, celebrated for her compact, dash-filled verse on love, nature, and mortality. Most of her nearly 1,800 poems were discovered after her death, and this one shows her gift for turning cosmic imagery into intimate longing.