Words from the Poet, the Mechanic,
and the Philosopher

“The Moon” by Robert Louis Stevenson
The moon has a face like the clock in the hall;
She shines on thieves on the garden wall,
On streets and fields and harbor quays,
And birdies asleep in the forks of the trees.

The squalling cat and the squeaking mouse,
The howling dog by the door of the house,
The bat that lies in bed at noon,
All love to be out by the light of the moon.

But all of the things that belong to the day
Cuddle to sleep to be out of her way;
And flowers and children close their eyes
Till up in the morning the sun shall arise.

A Gallery of Moonlight Postcards

Did you ever wonder why our days begin and end in the dark? Could it be that the decision was made by those who thought that moonlight was more beautiful than daylight? These are weighty questions, but who cares? Are we not accustomed to the way things are, so why waste energy on things we cannot change?

The reason we wonder is curiosity! People are naturally curious. Someone on the Internet defines curiosity as a quality related to inquisitive thinking such as exploration, investigation, and learning, evident in humans and animals. Yes, some say, “Curiosity killed the cat,” but before it did, curiosity made the cat a lot smarter. Moonlight is something most everyone is curious about.

Moonlight on postcards comes in many forms. Enhancement is an adjective that comes to mind. Moonlight is much like ketchup, salt and pepper. Moonlight is like a tool. Moonlight is like silk pajamas. These condiments make food taste better, tools make work easier, and silk makes sleep a little sweeter.

The logic here draws one simple conclusion: a moonlight scene on a postcard is – at least marginally – better than a daylight scene. See for yourself . . . .

New York City in Moonlight

Moonlight at Sea or On the River

Even on Marblehead Bay

The United Kingdom in Moonlight

And other places, too!

“The Moon” by Oliver Herford
The Moon is like a big round cheese
That shines above the garden trees,
And like a cheese grows less each night,
As though some one had had a bite.

The mouse delights to nibble cheese,
The dog bites anything he sees–
But how could they bite off the moon
Unless they went in a balloon?

And human people, when they eat
They think it rude to bite their meat,
They use a knife or fork or spoon;
Who is it then that bites the moon?