Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Don't 'cha just love "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star?" To most of us, it is so familiar, something we have known since the time we were very young.

I love to camp with my family and one of my favorite things to do is to sit by the campfire at night and stare up into that dark sky and admire all of those twinkling stars staring back at us. Unfortunately, I don't see much of them during the rest of the year, as we don't really think about going outside to stargaze much. Either that - or when we do go out, we are eaten up by the mosquitoes around our house! (LOL)


The English lyrics by Jane Taylor (1793-1824) were first published with the title "The Star" in Rhymes for the Nursery in London in 1806. There are five verses, but most people only know the first one:

Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are!

Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky!

When the blazing sun is gone, When He nothing shines upon,

Then you show your little light, Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

Then the traveller in the dark, Thanks you for your tiny spark,

He could not see which way to go, If you did not twinkle so.

In the dark blue sky you keep, And often through my curtains peep,

For you never shut your eye, Till the sun is in the sky.

As your bright and tiny spark, Lights the traveller in the dark,—

Though I know not what you are, Twinkle, twinkle, little star.


Isn't the 3rd line most interesting? "When the blazing sun is gone, When He nothing shines upon"... it made me stop and think... does that line mean "when HE (God) shines nothing" after the sun has gone? Or is it talking about the 'traveler in the dark' not being shined upon... or could it be BOTH, perhaps? Hum, food for thought...