Night ~ A Poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar

When Silence Opens the Sky: Discovering the Majesty Within

Sometimes the quiet of night becomes a doorway—lifting the weight of the world and revealing a deeper, eternal light waiting just beyond our thoughts.

Night

Paul Laurence Dunbar

SILENCE, and whirling worlds afar
Through all encircling skies.
What floods come o’er the spirit’s bar,
What wondrous thoughts arise.
The earth, a mantle falls away,
And, winged, we leave the sod;
Where shines in its eternal sway
The majesty of God.

Source

Reflection

In Dunbar’s Night, silence is not emptiness but invitation. When the noise of the day falls away, our inner world expands, and the spirit rises beyond its usual borders. The poem reminds us that there are moments when the earth seems to loosen its grip, and we glimpse something larger than ourselves—a quiet majesty that steadies the heart. In these rare spaces, awe replaces fear, and stillness becomes a teacher. Dunbar gently shows us that night is not merely darkness; it is a sanctuary where the soul remembers its connection to something eternal.

What do you feel or discover when silence finally settles around you?