If, in the stillness of the night, You feel a sudden stir of air, Awaken, but please don’t take fright; It is only my heart standing there.
For my heart often spans the space That lies between myself and you, To gaze down at your sleeping face; Thus, all Love’s pledges to renew.
Yes, wake up, dear, if wake you must, And sigh a dreamy little sigh. Then close your eyes in complete trust; Someone who loves you is standing by...
Imagine waking in the dark to a faint movement of air and feeling, for a second, that someone is in the room. The speaker wants to reassure you right away: there's nothing to fear. What you sensed was simply "my heart standing there." The idea is that when two people are apart, the speaker's love can cross the distance on its own and settle beside the sleeper's bed, looking down at a peaceful face.
The feeling here is tenderness, mixed with quiet devotion. The speaker isn't demanding anything. Even the instruction to wake is gentle, almost an apology for the interruption, and the "dreamy little sigh" suggests drowsy contentment rather than alarm. The poem's mood is hushed and protective, like a whispered goodnight. Its final line, with the trailing dots, lets the reassurance linger: you can go back to sleep, because you are loved and someone is keeping watch.