logo
‘Escape at Bedtime' by Robert Louis Stevenson

‘Escape at Bedtime' by Robert Louis Stevenson

Epoch Times14-05-2025
Escape at Bedtime
The lights from the parlour and kitchen shone out
Through the blinds and the windows and bars;
And high overhead and all moving about,
There were thousands of millions of stars.
There ne'er were such thousands of leaves on a tree,
Nor of people in church or the Park,
As the crowds of the stars that looked down upon me,
And that glittered and winked in the dark.
The Dog, and the Plough, and the Hunter, and all,
And the star of the sailor, and Mars,
These shone in the sky, and the pail by the wall
Would be half full of water and stars.
They saw me at last, and they chased me with cries,
And they soon had me packed into bed;
But the glory kept shining and bright in my eyes,
And the stars going round in my head.
Iowa Basics standardized testing was hardly known for creating a magical atmosphere at school, especially with the picturesque backdrop of rows of computers. Yet my seventh grade self found the tests particularly poignant one day when I came across an excerpt used in the literature portion of the exam.
It was from Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Escape at Bedtime.' I memorized a few of the lines so I could search them later and find the name of the poem. I so vividly remember the exact moment I experienced the enchantment of those lines during testing: 'And the pail by the wall/ would be half-full of water and stars.' In fact, apparently, my first encounter with the poem was memorable enough for my friend and classmate to recall this moment as well, all these years later.
Why is it that such a simple poem would be so striking? The subject is simple enough, directed towards an audience of children. And yet, with such deft strokes, it paints a vivid picture of a starlit scene and captures a child's emotional reaction to it. The lines reproduce such a fearful, awful sense of childlike wonder in the reader. And we ought to have that facile fear and awe; we ought to be able to be taken aback and allow our surroundings to work on us, such that natural beauty impresses itself upon our minds.
Starlit Prison
Stevenson aptly captures how everything is larger than life in a child's eyes; the starlit scene takes on a dramatization that makes small actions seem immense. From the second line, we have a sense of imprisonment: The light filters through the 'blinds and the windows and bars,' making the speaker seem like a captive. Out beyond the prison walls, the stars 'glitter and wink in the dark' with a youthful mischievousness, evading all human captors and bondage.
It would seem beyond human power to lay hold of the stars, with the exception of that one line: 'the pail by the wall would be half full of water and stars.' Within the pail, the fluid, formless water and starlight are suspended at a midpoint: They are confined but elusive, ready to spill out at any second. What's more, their immensity is contained within a humble, unassuming vessel, much like the beauty of the vast cosmos within a child's eyes.
The speaker is broken from his celestial rapture by the arrival of his parents. He is shepherded away and unceremoniously 'packed into bed,' but the last stanza carries the sense that his recent encounter with beauty serves as a consolation even after he can no longer see it except in his mind's eye. It is something that neither sleep nor obscured sight can take from him.
The Glory Kept Shining and Bright
A cluster of young stars resembles an aerial burst, surrounded by clouds of interstellar gas and dust, in this image captured in August 2009 and December 2009, and obtained on Sept. 26, 2018.
NASA
From the start of the poem, we can glean that the speaker is outside, seeing the light from the kitchen and parlor shining out through the dark. There is a tension between the sense of confines and the vastness and freedom represented by the expanse of stars and their observer outside the walls of the house. That same vastness is mirrored in the cosmos within the boy's mind, providing him with the same sense of 'glory' even within the walls of his room.
Related Stories
7/23/2021
2/13/2024
Recognizing the constellations above him, the speaker's imagination is fed with the images of 'The Dog, and the Plough, and the Hunter' among the stars. In fact, the stars are alive in his imagination, as he describes the 'crowds of the stars that looked down upon me,/ And that glittered and winked in the dark.' In the child's depiction of the scene, we share in the sense of not only wonder at the beauty described but also in the excitement of his daring 'escape,' a simple, everyday event imaginatively dramatized in the poem.
The poem aptly illustrates the effect of beauty on the mind and its lasting effect on the imagination. When we are properly receptive to it, it stays with us and continues to work on us long after we no longer actively behold it. Just as the poem lingered within my mind so many years later, the glory of the stars lingers in the child's mind and feeds his imagination with a beautiful object of contemplation.
What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Hunter Biden let loose during a profanity-laced YouTube interview. Here are a few takeaways.
Hunter Biden let loose during a profanity-laced YouTube interview. Here are a few takeaways.

Boston Globe

time5 hours ago

  • Boston Globe

Hunter Biden let loose during a profanity-laced YouTube interview. Here are a few takeaways.

Hunter blamed Ambien for his father's disastrous debate performance last year Who could forget Advertisement Hunter Biden blamed the debacle on Ambien that he said his father took amid a demanding schedule. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'I think what happened in that debate, he flew around the world basically, the mileage that he could've flown around the world three times, he's 81 years old,' Hunter said. 'He's tired. You give him Ambien to be able to sleep. He gets up on the stage, and he looks like he's a deer in the headlights. And it feeds into every story that everybody wants to tell.' Hunter had harsh words for a certain Hollywood A-lister who called for his father to drop out George Clooney attends the opening of "Good Night And Good Luck" on Broadway on April 3, 2025, in New York City. Jamie McCarthy/Getty Hunter Biden also tore into actor George Clooney, who Advertisement 'Number one, I agree with [director] Quentin Tarantino,' Hunter huffed. 'George Clooney is not a [expletive] actor. He is a [expletive] like, I don't know what he is. He's a brand. And by the way, and God bless him. You know what? He supposedly treats his friends really well. ... And he's got a really great place in Lake Como, and he's great friends with Barack Obama. [Expletive] you.' Addressing Clooney, he continued, 'What do you have to do with [expletive] anything? Why do I have to [expletive] listen to you? What right do you have to step on a man who's given 52 years of his [expletive] life to the service of this country, and decide that you, George Clooney, are gonna take out basically a full-page ad in the [expletive] New York Times?' Hunter had harsh words for Democratic strategists who followed Clooney's script James Carville (sitting) with Martha Stewart and documentary film director Matt Tyneaur at the Telluride Film Festival in 2024. Handout Skewering a who's who of prominent Democrats who also called on his father to quit the race, Hunter cited Clinton adviser 'James Carville, who hasn't won a race in 40 [expletive] years, and [strategist] David Axelrod who had one success in his political life, and that was Barack Obama.' 'And that was because of Barack Obama, not because of [expletive] David Axelrod. And [former Obama aide] David Plouffe, and all of these guys and the Pod Save America [podcast] guys, who were junior [expletive] speech writers on Barack Obama's senate staff, who've been dining out on their relationship with him for years, making millions of dollars. The [strategist] Anita Dunn's of the world, who's made 40, $50 million dollars off the Democratic party — they're all going to insert their judgment over a man who has figured out, unlike anybody else, how to get elected to the United States Senate over seven times, how to pass more legislation than any president in history, how to have a better midterm election than anybody in history, and how to garner more votes than any president that has ever won.' Advertisement Sen. Barack Obama shares a laugh with his staff and senior campaign advisor David Axelrod, left, during a flight on Feb. 4, 2008. AP/Associated Press Hunter had harsh words for President Trump President Donald Trump speaks at a dinner for Republican senators at the White House on Friday. MUST CREDIT: Allison Robbert/For The Washington Post Allison Robbert/For The Washington Post Biden also ripped President Trump and 'He is a [expletive] dictator thug,' Hunter said. 'He's somehow convinced all of us that these people are the [expletive] criminals? 'People are really upset about illegal immigration,' [expletive] you. How do you think a hotel room gets cleaned? How do you think you've got food on your [expletive] table? Who do you think washes your dishes?' Hunter opened up about his addiction struggles Hunter Biden, joined by his wife Melissa Cohen Biden, arrives at the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building in Wilmington, Del., on June 3, 2024. RYAN COLLERD/AFP via Getty Images Also during the interview, Hunter discussed 'I was drinking so much alcohol, almost a handle of vodka a day,' he told Callaghan. 'And alcohol is the most destructive drug, not just to your body, but it puts you in more danger than any other drug that I've ever experienced.' He also ingested large amounts of crack cocaine, he said. 'And then you add on top of that, the amount of crack that I was using at the time,' he said. 'And crack cocaine, in terms of your physical health, is not as dangerous as the situation that you put yourself in to be able to obtain it. ... The places that you can go get it are some of the most dangerous places in whatever location you happen to be in. And it's everywhere. Mainly for that reason, I learned how to make my own.' Advertisement Travis Andersen can be reached at

Travis Hunter's Wife Leanna Lenee Breaks Down in Tears in Shower Video: 'I Don't Even Recognize This Girl Anymore'
Travis Hunter's Wife Leanna Lenee Breaks Down in Tears in Shower Video: 'I Don't Even Recognize This Girl Anymore'

Yahoo

time10 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Travis Hunter's Wife Leanna Lenee Breaks Down in Tears in Shower Video: 'I Don't Even Recognize This Girl Anymore'

Leanna Lenee, the wife of Jacksonville Jaguars rookie and former Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, went public with the impact months of online harassment had on her mental and emotional health. In a TikTok video, Lenee shared intimate footage of herself crying just weeks before her husband won his record-breaking Heisman, giving a candid glimpse into the personal struggles she has faced in the spotlight. From Fairy Tale to Firestorm Lenee and Hunter, who were introduced years earlier and have been together ever since their freshman years in college, had all the more reason to celebrate in 2024. Hunter was only the second University of Colorado player in school history to capture the Heisman Trophy. Subsequently, he was taken with the second overall pick in the NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The pair capped off their record-breaking year by marrying in a glittering Tennessee ceremony in front of friends, family, and fans. But beneath the congratulatory headlines there lay a bitter undertone of contempt, much of it directed at Lenee. Throughout the 2024 college football season, Lenee was at the center of cruel online speculation. Accusations of 'gold digging,' 'fame chasing,' and conscious social climbing dominated comment sections, with critics dissecting every public action and conversation she had. Even after the couple's many years together, many internet trolls were reluctant to believe that her affections were genuine. 'I Don't Even Recognize This Girl Anymore' In the latest TikTok video, Lenee comes out of the shower, obviously distressed and in tears. A distant background church sermon gives the scene spiritual seriousness. She does not speak a word in the video, but her caption gives a powerful insight into the inner transformation she has undergone: 'I wish I could go back and hug December me, because oh baby, God was about to change your heart in the most important and beautiful way,' she wrote. 'I don't even recognize this girl anymore. The amount you can grow and develop in just 6 months of devoting your life to Jesus and getting away from the shackles of the world and social media is truly astounding. 'I wish the peace I found within Jesus on everyone who reads this. Your identity in him matters, not how people choose to perceive you.' The post struck a chord with fans and followers who have watched Lenee suffer cyberbullying for over a year. The Heisman Backlash One of the worst moments was during Hunter's Heisman Trophy acceptance. When Hunter's name was announced, his mother and Colorado State coach Deion Sanders immediately stood up to congratulate Hunter. Lenee sat down initially. She stood up momentarily to hug Hunter after Sanders pushed her, then quietly settled back into her seat. The internet pounced on it, interpreting the moment as an affront. Conspiracy-laden threads flooded social media. Was she angry? Was she bitter? Did she think he wasn't deserving of it? She could have felt whatever, but cold and calculating. Lenee retaliated by sharing an eight-minute video defending herself and attempting to explain the moment that was misinterpreted. But the narrative had already taken off at this stage, fueled by clickbait websites and fanbase theories. 'She Cried Herself to Sleep' Travis Hunter, ever ready to defend his wife, addressed the incident openly in a Twitch stream following the Heisman ceremony. 'She's still sleeping, she's slumped,' Hunter told viewers. 'You know when you're hurt but you just cry yourself to sleep and you just be gone? She drunk [sic], like, an OD amount tonight for no reason.' He then issued a stern threat to the individuals assaulting his wife: 'Clickbait pages stop, y'all better stop I'm telling y'all. Something bad is gonna happen to y'all [if you] keep doing that. Y'all better stop that. I ain't playing.' 'Y'all hate on me then you go hate on my girl. I feel the same thing that she feels. We're inseparable. We're with each other. If she's hurting, I'm hurting.' A Test of Faith and Fortitude Aside from the headlines and incensed rants, what Lenee has endured is a ubiquitous but sometimes subtle reality of social media existence, wherein private milestones are critiqued by millions and public affection can be distorted into suspicion. Her recent TikTok is not just an exercise in vulnerability; it's a declaration of healing. A turning away from strangers' validation and toward something more embedded in faith and self-acceptance. For now, at least, the pair seem focused on each other and their Jacksonville future. But Lenee's video recalls the cost of human meanness on the internet and an act of quiet resistance strength. 'Your identity in Him matters,' she wrote. 'Not how people choose to perceive you.' And within that quiet strength, perhaps Lenee found the better path to reclaiming her voice. The post Travis Hunter's Wife Leanna Lenee Breaks Down in Tears in Shower Video: 'I Don't Even Recognize This Girl Anymore' appeared first on Where Is The Buzz | Breaking News, Entertainment, Exclusive Interviews & More. Solve the daily Crossword

Dog The Bounty Hunter Stepson Accidentally Killed Son
Dog The Bounty Hunter Stepson Accidentally Killed Son

Buzz Feed

timea day ago

  • Buzz Feed

Dog The Bounty Hunter Stepson Accidentally Killed Son

Dog the Bounty Hunter's stepson Gregory Zecca allegedly accidentally shot and killed his 13-year-old son, Anthony, on Saturday, July 19. TMZ was the first to break the sad news, with Collier County Sheriff's Office later confirming the tragic death to People, stating that deputies responded to a call about a shooting at around 8 p.m. local time. They said it was an 'isolated incident,' and nobody has been arrested at this time, adding that they are "conducting a thorough investigation looking into all the elements" of the tragedy."The investigation includes statements from witnesses who were at the scene, forensic testing, subpoenas and search warrants," the sheriff's office concluded. Dog, real name Duane Chapman, and Gregory's mom, Francie Chapman, issued a statement to TMZ through their representative, which read: 'We are grieving as a family over this incomprehensible, tragic accident and would ask for continued prayers as we grieve the loss of our beloved grandson, Anthony." Dog first found fame back in 2003, when he tracked down fugitive Andrew Luster, who had fled the US in the middle of a trial where he was convicted of multiple counts of rape. The following year, he launched his A&E reality show, Dog the Bounty Hunter, which followed him and his team as they tracked down fugitives mainly in Hawaii and Colorado, with a few show ended up being cancelled in 2012, and Dog landed follow-up shows including Dog and Beth: On the Hunt, and Dog's Most Wanted.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store