The Moon – Robert Louis Stevenson

The moon has a face like the clock in the hall;
She shines on thieves on the garden wall,
On streets and fields and harbour quays,
And birdies asleep in the forks of the trees.

The squalling cat and the squeaking mouse,
The howling dog by the door of the house,
The bat that lies in bed at noon,
All love to be out by the light of the moon.

But all of the things that belong to the day
Cuddle to sleep to be out of her way;
And flowers and children close their eyes
Till up in the morning the sun shall arise.

Let’s Explore the Poem:

1. Have you ever walked in the moonlight? What do you feel when you see the moon in the sky?
   Yes, I have walked in the moonlight. I feel calm and happy when I see the moon shining in the sky. It makes the night look peaceful.
2. What is the moon’s face compared to?
   The moon’s face is compared to a clock in the hall. The poet says this because the marks on the moon look like a clock’s face.
3. Where, according to the poet, do birds sleep at night?
   According to the poet, birds sleep in the forks of the trees. They rest safely on the branches at night.
4. Where does the moon shine and spread its beautiful beams?
   The moon shines on streets, fields, harbour quays, and the garden wall. Her light spreads everywhere and makes the night bright.
5. Why could the dog be howling by the door of the house?
   The dog could be howling because it is awake at night and reacting to the moonlight. Dogs often howl when they hear sounds or sense something.
6. Which are the creatures that like to spend time in the moonlight?
   The cat, mouse, dog, and bat like to spend time in the moonlight. They are active at night and enjoy moving around.
7. How long do the flowers and children sleep and take rest?
   Flowers and children sleep all night. They rest until the sun rises in the morning.

Activity 1 – Words of Sounds

Look at the words used to describe the sounds made by animals – the chirping birds, the trumpeting elephants. There are similar words in the poem, that describe the sounds made by the animals. Pick out those words and write them down.

• Cat – Squalls
• Mouse – Squeaks.
• Dog – howls.

Activity 2

1. The thieves – are on the garden wall.
2. The birds – are asleep in the forks of trees.
3. The bat – lies in bed at noon.
4. The dog – is howling by the door of the house.
5. The children – sleep till the sun rises.

Activity 3

1. hall — wall (They share the ‑all sound.)
2. quays — trees (They share the ‑ees sound.)
3. mouse — house (They share the ‑ouse sound.)
4. noon — moon (They share the ‑oon sound.)
5. day — way (They share the ‑ay sound.)
6. eyes — arise (They share the ‑ise sound.)

Special Questions

1. Who is the poet of the poem?
   Robert Louis Stevenson.
2. What is the moon compared to in the first line?
   A clock in the hall.
3. Where does the moon shine?
   On streets, fields, harbour quays, and the garden wall.
4. Who sleeps in the forks of the trees?
   Birdies.
5. Which animal is described as “squalling”?
   The cat.
6. Which animal is described as “squeaking”?
   The mouse.
7. Who lies in bed at noon?
   The bat.
8. Who loves to be out by the light of the moon?
   Night‑time creatures like the cat, mouse, dog, and bat.
9. What do flowers and children do at night?
   They close their eyes and sleep.
10. When do flowers and children wake up?
    When the sun rises in the morning.
11. Why does the poet say the moon has a face?
    Because the marks on the moon look like the face of a clock, giving it a human‑like appearance.
12. How does the moon help night‑time animals?
    The moonlight guides them and allows them to move around easily at night.
13. Why do day‑time creatures “cuddle to sleep”?
    They rest at night to stay out of the moon’s way and prepare for the next day.
14. What picture of the night does the poet create?
    A peaceful night where the moon shines gently while night creatures roam and day creatures sleep.
15. How does the poet show contrast between day and night?
    By showing that night creatures become active while day creatures sleep.
16. Explain how the moonlight affects different beings in the poem.
    The moonlight shines on thieves, animals, streets, and fields. It helps night creatures like cats, dogs, mice, and bats to be active, while day‑time beings like flowers and children sleep peacefully.
17. What mood or atmosphere does the poem create?
    The poem creates a calm, magical, and gentle night atmosphere where the moon watches over everything.
18. Why do you think the poet chose to describe both animals and children?
    To show that the moonlight touches all living beings—wild animals, pets, and even children—creating a universal night scene.
19. How does the poet personify the moon? Give examples.
    The poet gives the moon human qualities, such as having a “face” and “shining” on people and places like a watchful guardian.
20. What message does the poem give about nature’s rhythm?
    Nature has a natural cycle—day for activity and night for rest—and every creature follows this rhythm in its own way.