The Night Has a Thousand Eyes, by Francis William Bourdillon →



“The night has a thousand eyes,
    And the day but one;
Yet the light of the bright world dies
    With the dying sun.

The mind has a thousand eyes,
    And the heart but one:
Yet the light of a whole life dies
    When love is done.”



🔍 Analysis of "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes"

This short, elegant poem contrasts the abundance of sight with the depth of true vision—using the natural world to mirror our inner emotional experience.

The poet opens with a striking observation:

The night has a thousand eyes, / And the day but one
While the night sky is filled with stars, it is the sun alone that brings light and life. This contrast sets up the central metaphor.

In the second stanza, the focus shifts inward:

The mind has a thousand eyes, / And the heart but one
Our mind can perceive countless things, just as the stars fill the night. But it is the heart—our capacity to love—that gives our life true meaning.

The final lines deliver the emotional weight of the poem:

Yet the light of a whole life dies / When love is done.
Just as the world dims when the sun sets, a life without love can feel like darkness, no matter how much we know or observe.

💡 Key Insights:

  • Quantity vs. Depth: A thousand stars may sparkle, but one sun sustains. A thousand thoughts may swirl, but one love anchors us.

  • The Mind vs. the Heart: The mind gathers information, but the heart gives it meaning.

  • Love as Essential Light: Without love, insight alone isn't enough to light a life.

This poem reminds us that love is not one of many things—it is the one thing that gives everything else its glow.

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