The Shepherd, Looking Eastward, Softly Said
The Shepherd, looking eastward, softly said, "Bright is thy veil, O Moon, as thou art bright!" Forthwith, that little cloud, in ether spread And penetrated all with tender light, She cast away, and showed her fulgent head Uncovered; dazzling the Beholder's sight As if to vindicate her beauty's right Her beauty thoughtlessly disparaged. Meanwhile that veil, removed or thrown aside, Went floating from her, darkening as it went; And a huge mass, to bury or to hide, Approached this glory of the firmament; Who meekly yields, and is obscured--content With one calm triumph of a modest pride.
The Shepherd, Looking Eastward, Softly Said - form Summary
A Sonnet's Modest Pride
This poem is a compact sonnet that presents a brief scene: the moon reveals herself by casting off a veil, then is nearly hidden by a vast cloud but remains dignified. The sonnet’s tight form concentrates imagery and a quiet moral: modest pride and self-possession triumph without spectacle. The structure condenses action and reflection, making the moon’s calm composure the central, quietly triumphant moment.
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