"Oft in the Stilly Night" (A Poem)

A musician and writer, Thomas Moore is best known for his Irish melodies, of which “Oft in the Stilly Night” is one, which were extremely popular in his hometown of Dublin and the surrounding regions; however, despite his renowned musical and poetical career, Moore’s life was marred by tragedy: all five of his children perished during his lifetime and he eventually suffered a stroke that prevented him from participating in his musical performances.[1] Although his melodies were composed between 1807 and 1834 (almost two decades before his death), several of his ballads bespeak of somberness. In “Oft in the Stilly Night,” for example, the narrator reminisces on the past and the lyrics’ surreal language leaves the lines open for interpretation. Is it merely an old man remembering his youth as he falls asleep or a dying man recollecting his life on his deathbed?

Oft, in the stilly night,
Ere Slumber's chain has bound me,
Fond Memory brings the light
Of other days around me:
The smiles, the tears,
Of boyhood's years,
The words of love then spoken;
The eyes that shone,
Now dimm'd and gone,
The cheerful hearts now broken!
Thus, in the stilly night,
Ere Slumber's chain has bound me,
Sad Memory brings the light
Of other days around me.

When I remember all
The friends, so link'd together,
I've seen around me fall,
Like leaves in wintry weather;
I feel like one,
Who treads alone
Some banquet-hall deserted,
Whose lights are fled,
Whose garlands dead,
And all but he departed!
Thus, in the stilly night,
Ere Slumber's chain has bound me,
Sad Memory brings the light
Of other days around me.[2]

Works Referenced

Lefeauvre, Jean-Pierre. English and American Verses. Morrisville, NC: Lulu Press, 2012.

Moore, Thomas. “Oft in the Stilly Night.” Thomas Moore, the Poet: His Life and Works. Ed. Andrew James Symington. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1880. 102.
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[1] Lefeuvre, 51.
[2] Moore, 102.