Shut Out That Moon - Thomas Hardy
Reflections on Unseen Longing and Memory
Close up the casements, draw the blind,
Shut out that stealing moon;
She wears too much the guise she wore
Before our joy’s eclipse had grown,
So hamper even memory’s door,
Shut out that stealing moon!
We have tried all ways to remedy
What one short day undone;
We have sought new joys to fill the gap
Which parted joys had left us none;
Yet still the lost is missed, we rap:
Shut out that stealing moon!
We have said we will not say again
We love—we parted soon!
But even as half we said the vow
There fell again that tune
Which we were wont to murmur—now
Shut out that stealing moon!
Truly, when all is done, we find
No stauncher friend than he
Who in our youth was well entwined
With all we used to be;
We cannot help but yearn to him:
Shut out that stealing moon!
Yes, close up close, the blind, the door,
Shut out that stealing moon;
And shut out all behind, before
That speaks of boon or bane to me,
We shall not pine for what no more
May be forthshone or soon.
Thomas Hardy’s “Shut Out That Moon” is a poignant reflection on lost joy, the persistence of memory, and the human urge to suppress painful recollections. Throughout the poem, the speaker repeatedly insists on closing out the moon’s light. The moon becomes a metaphor for memories that intrude, unbidden, into the present. By imploring the shutting out of that “stealing” moon, Hardy’s speaker tries to seal away the past—specifically, the moments of happiness that have since soured and left the heart heavy.
In each stanza, the moon is described as bearing a resemblance to the time before “our joy’s eclipse had grown.” This suggests that once, when love or happiness was fresh, the moon’s light was comforting and welcome. Now, however, that same light only reminds the speaker of what has been lost. The repeated command to “shut out that stealing moon” underscores both desperation and futility. Despite any attempts to move on and find “new joys,” the speaker cannot fully erase the lingering sense of absence.
Hardy also highlights the irony of trying to forget or deny something as pervasive as memory. Though the speaker aims to block out the moon’s light, he cannot help but recall familiar tunes or old vows. Each stanza returns to this longing to lock away the past, yet the poem’s very existence confirms that the past remains a living presence, even when the speaker refuses to name it.
Overall, the poem speaks to how we struggle with memories of lost love or missed opportunities. Despite all efforts, the yearning does not simply vanish. This universal pull between wanting to forget and being inevitably drawn back to the past is part of the poem’s enduring resonance. The moon, for Hardy, becomes a symbolic force that carries with it a light we sometimes wish would remain hidden—yet it continues to shine, illuminating our unhealed wounds and nostalgic longings.
Key points
• Memories can be elusive yet persistent, refusing to be fully shut out.
• Attempting to erase the past often leads to deeper self-reflection.
• Symbols like the moon can represent both comfort and painful reminders of what once was.
• Hardy’s poem offers insight into the universal conflict between yearning for the past and striving to move forward.