As evening falls, a child talks to the shadow shapes on the wall, curtains, and blind as if they are playmates. The speaker wants to join their games, pretending to fly up into the sky where star children live—wondering, with childlike logic, whether those stars have to stay inside all day for school. The mood is mostly tender and whimsical, full of make-believe and soft nighttime wonder. But there is also a flicker of real childhood fear: the child remembers the moon once peering through the window like a staring face and giving a fright. By the end, the fear passes, and the child returns to gentle play, making a fairy ring and kissing the shadow children goodnight. It feels like a lullaby—cozy, imaginative, and just slightly spooky around the edges.
Evening Song of the Thoughtful Child — Summary
Shadow children, thin and small, Now the day is left behind, You are dancing on the wall, On the curtains, on the blind.
On the ceiling, children, too, Peeping round the nursery door, Let me come and play with you, As we always played before.
Let’s pretend that we have wings And can really truly fly Over every sort of things Up and up into the sky,
Where the sweet star children play-- It does seem a dreadful rule, They must stay inside all day. I suppose they go to school.
And to-night, dears, do you see, They are having such a race With their father moon--the tree Almost hides his funny face.
Shadow children, once at night, I was all tucked up in bed, Father moon came--such a fright-- Through the window poked his head;
I could see his staring eyes, O, my dears, I was afraid, That was not a nice surprise, And the dreadful noise I made!
Let us make a fairy ring, Shadow children, hand in hand, And our songs quite softly sing That we learned in fairyland.
Shadow children, thin and small, See, the day is far behind; And I kiss you--on the wall On the curtains--on the blind.