In this short, luminous piece, the speaker looks out on a night scene: a road lit by the moon and a star, trees bright but motionless. In the distance, they make out a solitary traveler on a hill. The figure is climbing — not just walking, but ascending “magic Perpendiculars.” Even though he is still on earth, the path feels almost supernatural, a vertical movement into something unknown. The traveler’s final destination is hidden, a “shimmering ultimate” that glimmers just beyond sight. Yet he moves with confidence, as if he has fully endorsed the light around him — he trusts the sheen that guides him. The mood is quiet and full of wonder. There is no rush, just a still, moon-soaked landscape and this one figure drawn upward. The speaker seems both detached and fascinated, watching someone else’s ascent without needing to join. It leaves a feeling of mystery, aspiration, and a touch of the otherworldly — like a glimpse into a private, sacred journey.
The Road was lit with Moon and star -- — Summary
The Road was lit with Moon and star -- The Trees were bright and still -- Descried I -- by the distant Light A Traveller on a Hill -- To magic Perpendiculars Ascending, though Terrene -- Unknown his shimmering ultimate -- But he indorsed the sheen --