This dead of midnight is the noon of thought,
And Wisdom mounts her zenith with the stars.
At this still hour the self-collected soul
Turns inward, and beholds a stranger there
Of high descent, and more than mortal rank;
An embryo God; a spark of fire divine.
Bio: Robert Anthony Pape, Jr. is an American political scientist known for his work on international security affairs, especially the coercive strategies of air power and the rationale of suicide terrorism.
