Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky!
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!

Original Poem “The Star”, by Jane Taylor

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 traveler 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.

Origin of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” was first published in 1806 in England as part of a collection called “Rhymes for the Nursery”. It was written by the poet Jane Taylor, who wrote the collection with her sister Ann.

The original published title of the lullaby was simply “The Star”, but over the years the now-famous name longer name stuck.

When the full poem is sung (and now you know it, why wouldn’t you?), the lines:
“Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
How I wonder what you are!”
are sung after each ‘verse’ as a chorus or refrain.