R.E. Slater - A Lamplit World at Night

Illustrated by R.E. Slater & ChatGPT

A Lamplit World at Night

by R.E. Slater

Steam rises from a worn cup
of hot, brewed coffee

remembering its warmth

providing energy to the weary.

A well-thumbed physics book

lies open to atomic diagrams

and sketched galaxies across

wan margins of thought.

Pages telling how moon and stars

do not command one another

but accompany each other

across time and space.

'Scribed within the Milky Way's

rotating arms of light and dark

drifting across its cosmic body

in starry, quantum expanse.

From wooden desk to lit sky,

and lit sky to galactic edge,

process pens an ancient story

again and again and again.

As ideas are never fixed, but

like timeful events passed to paper

by an active, thinking, conscience

writ upon a desk's quantum surface...

So an open, evolving, future

cannot be positively predicted,

whilst continually inviting

entropic worlds to become.

And somewhere between a

hot coffee and starry cosmos,

between Whitehead and Science,

lies the quiet, rhythmic hum of night.

Mindful of itself,

stretching its legs,

arching its back,

readying for bed,

before receding dawns.

by R.E. Slater

January 12, 2026

@copyright R.E. Slater Publications
all rights reserved

Illustrated by R.E. Slater & ChatGPT

The Lamplighter

by Robert Louis Stevenson

My tea is nearly ready and the sun has left the sky.
It's time to take the window to see Leerie going by;
For every night at teatime and before you take your seat,
With lantern and with ladder he comes posting up the street.

Now Tom would be a driver and Maria go to sea,
And my papa's a banker and as rich as he can be;
But I, when I am stronger and can choose what I'm to do,
O Leerie, I'll go round at night and light the lamps with you!

For we are very lucky, with a lamp before the door,
And Leerie stops to light it as he lights so many more;
And oh! before you hurry by with ladder and with light;
O Leerie, see a little child and nod to him to-night!

Illustrated by R.E. Slater & ChatGPT

And the Moon and the Stars

and the World

by john tiong chunghoo

long walk at night

the breeze freezes my spirit
the moon warms it up
pulling at my poetic soul
the crickets sing their poems to the night
a million other insects contribute their share
to loosen up the night
for lovers, husbands and wives
while a tide of words too
creeps in all directions in my mental sphere
saturates the poetic bar of the intellect
waiting to be strummed into verses
the rhythm swims along with them
as i write out verse by verse
the moon my friend shares its light
the night wind inspires
lovelorn stars wave all the way
a million light years away
heralding the birth of a song
sparkling, twinkling
guided by intricate orchestration of the night
before gracing the written page
long walk in the night
even the insects with the lamps
start to lend me their lights
between the twinkle of the stars
they dance, sing, beat out a dance

Illustrated by R.E. Slater & ChatGPT

Night-Night

by Cj Heck

Night-night moon
Night-night stars
Night-night noisy
trucks and cars.

Night-night sand box
Night-night toys
Night-night other
girls and boys.

Night-night mom
Night-night dad
Night-night Boogie Man
who's not bad.

It's time to go to sleep now,
most all my night nights said.
Night-night blankie
Night-night bed.

Illustrated by R.E. Slater & ChatGPT

Good-Night

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

The lark is silent in his nest,
    The breeze is sighing in its flight,
Sleep, Love, and peaceful be thy rest.
    Good-night, my love, good-night, good-night.

Sweet dreams attend thee in thy sleep,
    To soothe thy rest till morning's light,
And angels round thee vigil keep.
    Good-night, my love, good-night, good-night.

Sleep well, my love, on night's dark breast,
    And ease thy soul with slumber bright;
Be joy but thine and I am blest.
    Good-night, my love, good-night, good-night.

Night

by William Blake

THE sun descending in the west,
    The evening star does shine;
The birds are silent in their nest.
    And I must seek for mine.
        The moon, like a flower
        In heaven's high bower,
        With silent delight
        Sits and smiles on the night.

Farewell, green fields and happy grove,
    Where flocks have took delight:
Where lambs have nibbled, silent move
    The feet of angels bright;
        Unseen they pour blessing
        And joy without ceasing
        On each bud and blossom,
        And each sleeping bosom.

They look in every thoughtless nest
    Where birds are cover'd warm;
They visit caves of every beast,
    To keep them all from harm:
        If they see any weeping
        That should have been sleeping,
        They pour sleep on their head,
        And sit down by their bed.

When wolves and tigers howl for prey,
    They pitying stand and weep,
Seeking to drive their thirst away
    And keep them from the sheep.
        But, if they rush dreadful,
        The angels, most heedful,
        Receive each mild spirit,
        New worlds to inherit.

And there the lion's ruddy eyes
    Shall flow with tears of gold:
And pitying the tender cries,
    And walking round the fold:
        Saying, 'Wrath, by His meekness,
        And, by His health, sickness,
        Are driven away
        From our immortal day.

'And now beside thee, bleating lamb,
    I can lie down and sleep,
Or think on Him who bore thy name,
    Graze after thee, and weep.
        For, wash'd in life's river,
        My bright mane for ever
        Shall shine like the gold
        As I guard o'er the fold.'