Moon Series 2010

Moon Series – Day 27

Thu, 11/04/2010 – 00:41 — ToadSoda

Waning Crescent – 8:13 p.m.

no more crescents to sketch out on lined paper
the waiting is over
except for these last two nights
but I still hold out hope
of seeing one last sliver of the moon
as if to remind me (perhaps)
that time isn’t passing so quickly
I know it’s a lie
another autumn’s nearly gone
and with it another full moon
now I stand before the next holiday season
now I am perched
at the precipice of the first snow
now I am not quite ready
to shiver at the first frost
(already come and gone)
that left my car covered in an icy glaze
like sugar
and you wrote your name on my windshield
now we’re done,
but for one more night,
so bring on the November moon

 

Moon Series – Day 26

Tue, 11/02/2010 – 02:36 — ToadSoda

Waning Crescent – 7:01 pm

By now we both know we won’t see the moon
because the Earth gets in the way
but we can see our breath
and that same bright star
that might be a planet
maybe we can blow bubbles
and pretend they’re the moon
or trace the crescent in the sky
with shaking fingers
as we marvel at how fast the weather turns
from warm to cold in October
this time we were there
watching each incremental phase
pull the last trace of summer from the Earth’s skin
until the trees were just bones
naked and ready for a long, cold sleep

 

Moon Series – Day 25 (Halloween)

Mon, 11/01/2010 – 00:12 — ToadSoda

Waning Gibbous – 7:45 p.m.

Wherever the sky shows through
there’s not a patch that isn’t perfection
even though the moon won’t rise
for a long few hours
even though we sit exhausted and shivering
still partially costumed
after a day of courting the things
that go bump in the night
well, that, and candy
why else would the stars put on such a show
if not in preparation for the night’s finale?
the moon may light the way
for an evening of mischief

 

Moon Series – Day 24

Mon, 11/01/2010 – 00:05 — ToadSoda

Waning Gibbous – 8:16 pm

The moon, heavy lidded, gazes down from the east
too far to see at this early hour
but I remember waking up at 2 am
rolling over
and looking out the window
at the moon’s lazy eye
I’ve lost track of the days
and the many times
that the moon failed to live up to my expectations
not that she cares
circling towards newness
I wonder if the moon ever gets tired
of her endless journey
new, crescent, gibbous, full
gibbous, crescent, new again
and on it goes
twisting eternally as the earth and I grow older
will the moon never rest?

 

Moon Series – Day 21

Thu, 10/28/2010 – 02:05 — ToadSoda

That was kind of funny
all this talk of the moon
both of us writing in shadow
peering up at the sky
which still performs a magnificent show
even without the main attraction
I never noticed how artistic the clouds looked at twilight
just after a storm
with the sky a deep lapis
still bright,
perhaps cautious,
but dark enough to reveal the first few stars
glittering and faint
proving to me that the moon
can’t be too far behind
If I stare hard enough into the empty sky
I might see something unexpected
like two bats fluttering towards that tall oak
that sits right at the edge of our yard.

 

Moon Series – Day 20

Thu, 10/28/2010 – 02:02 — ToadSoda

Waning Gibbous – 7:15 p.m.

Not even enough starlight
to cast a shadow
tonight the halogen lamp
that shines painfully bright,
flush against the house
is the moon
lighting up the driveway
where you sit,
capturing the threads of metaphor
we’ve chased down together
these last 19 days
maybe tomorrow will be clear
and we’ll see how the moon wanes
as we wait for the cycle
to play out to the end

 

Moon Series – Day 19

Tue, 10/26/2010 – 01:00 — ToadSoda

Waning Gibbous – 7:44 p.m.

It’s as dark as if the moon were new
but this is just cloud cover
I think I felt a drop of rain
on my notebook
it seems as if the moon takes any excuse
to hide away,
tucked from view
in her little corner of the sky
in the unseasonable warmth
of this late October night
I am missing the waning Gibbous
perhaps the moon doesn’t want to show her face
perhaps she is as vain as I

 

Moon Series – Day 18

Tue, 10/26/2010 – 00:56 — ToadSoda

Waning Gibbous – 6:53 p.m.

I can’t see the moon
so I’ll watch the neighbor’s cat
she is always content
to stare out into the night
and wonder at the creatures
that she can’t hunt
the little things beyond her reach
she is, perhaps, clawless,
but comfortable
wrapped in scarlet curtains
wanting to be out here
on this night
her eyes look like two glowing moons
as they reflect the lamplight
from that bedroom sill
where she always sits
watching the waxing and waning
no matter the weather
she knows the night so much better than I

 

Moon Series – Day 16

Sat, 10/23/2010 – 02:07 — ToadSoda

Full Moon – 8:01 pm

the moon is full
and cloaked in shadow
the ever changing clouds protect her
as if she were a rare treasure
now I can focus on other things
like cargo trains on rumbling tracks
and distant babies
crying out against bed time
like you used to
always fighting with a heavy head
lids protesting
so eager to stay awake
what would you have thought of the moon back then?
seems silly to think of it
as a long time ago
when you are only at the early stage
the waxing crescent of childhood
while I am full
and perhaps beginning to wane

 

Moon Series – Days 14 & 15

Fri, 10/22/2010 – 01:13 — ToadSoda

Day 14 – Waxing Gibbous – 8:20 p.m.

I find myself looking for metaphor
in the perfect roundness
of the nearly full moon
it fills the sky
it is my center
crowding out all the inspiration
until everything is stunted
by the the haze of expectation
I placed on this night
but even the moon doesn’t cast her own light
borrowing splendor from the sun
so how come I expect so much
from myself?

Day 15 Waxing Gibbous – 7:30 p.m.

Turns out you were worth the wait
as was the trek
around our overgrown, leaf strewn backyard
so we could see the whole moon
its edges reaching
end to end to end
I can’t help but bring my own life
into the picture
and throw it up towards the sky
hoping it will reach the moon
and dissipate
because who can be more serene than she?
On this, the 15th day,
with the moon nearly full,
and nothing to look forward to
but days of ever-waning glory

 

Moon Series – Day 13

Tue, 10/19/2010 – 23:54 — ToadSoda

Waxing Gibbous – 7:14 p.m.

We’re still waxing towards fullness
nothing more is going on
but I’m learning how to wait
counting the slow progress
of the moon’s journey
each day
then just when I think I’ve seen it all
the moon surprises me
wrapped in thin clouds, like felting wool
the moon is a gift
telling me to hang on
the waiting’s worth it
so I’ll struggle to find new words
each night

 

Moon Series – Day 12

Tue, 10/19/2010 – 00:10 — ToadSoda

Waxing Gibbous – 7:36 p.m.

Does the moon absorb the frenetic energy
of our tiny lives?
Do we feed its serene glow
with the heavy weight
of endless to do lists?
as it floats above us
aloof and unattainable
detached
I could learn a lot
on this, the 11th day,
but I don’t want to stop,
don’t have time to think,
as the moon waxes closer to fullness
the night is perfectly appropriate
perfectly clear
and getting older
even as the moon approaches the next phase

 

Moon Series – Day 11

Sun, 10/17/2010 – 23:20 — ToadSoda

Waxing Gibbous – 7:04 p.m.

This sighting seems effortless
I’ve nearly forgotten about the stars
their once bright trail
like gemstones in the night sky
now play a minor part
to the moon’s starring role
how funny
the moon is the star now
the diva of the sky
drawing all eyes toward her bright face
nearly full
perhaps the moon is most beautiful
before it hits its peak
perhaps we all are
because no one wants to wane
even though we all know it’s coming
but I’m looking too far ahead

 

Moon Series – Day 10

Sun, 10/17/2010 – 01:23 — ToadSoda

Waxing Gibbous – 7:10 p.m.

Her pale face revealed
As if it was there all along
less than half in shadow
silent and close
just above the trees
the night seems unpaused
the sky brighter than usual
brighter than I’ve noticed
on this, the 10th day
my expectancy lifted
by the aura of moon glow
which reaches further than I ever realized
her familiar presence is a comfort
holding the promise of future chilly nights
mugs of hot tea
flame-filled hearths
and crunching leaves beneath boot clad feet
on a crisp, clear waning moon-filled
Halloween night

 

Moon Series – Day 9

Sat, 10/16/2010 – 01:36 — ToadSoda

Waxing Gibbous – 8:52 p.m.

I’m so angry,
so tired of chasing the moon
sick of the weight of this heavy gray sky
each drop of rain
might be a little piece of darkness
drawing me farther and farther
away from serenity

Does the moon know I weep?
Even as she phases into the next quarter
I can barely lift my head up to squint
at fathoms of night sky
the rain is making its percussive presence
on the windows of my fishbowl
and , like that fish,
too big for its bowl,
I am always seeking, always moving
ultra sensitive to any change of light
waiting for a moment
that exists beyond this endless glass

 

Moon Series – Day 8

Fri, 10/15/2010 – 01:49 — ToadSoda

First Quarter – 7:40 p.m.

I can look out any window
and pretend to see the moon
but we both know the rain is far too thick
it obscures any pretense of visibility
so why pretend?
No need to sit on the porch
and peer into the muck
hoping that this mid October nor’easter
will ebb for just a minute or two
so we can measure the moon’s width
on this, the eighth day.
Instead, I’m content to envision the moon
waiting high above the clouds
in a cold corner of space
where her brightness awes even the stars
in their myriad glitter
but not us, stuck here in terrestrial wetness,
beneath a ceiling of dark clouds
which rest upon a dark sky,
missing the moon once again

 

Moon Series – Day 7

Thu, 10/14/2010 – 02:01 — ToadSoda

Waxing Crescent – 6:00 p.m.

anyway, what happened with the moon
a long time ago, well who knows?
who senses the moon’s great age?
but on this, the 7th day,
we find the waxing crescent
earlier than ever
a ghostly shadow in a powder blue sky
neck in neck with the sun
time may have stopped for a moment
like you did, right in your tracks
and, pointing, whispered in utter amazement
look, I found the moon!

 

Moon Series – Day 6

Wed, 10/13/2010 – 00:56 — ToadSoda

Waxing Crescent – 7:59 p.m.

We had to chase her down
when I saw a glimmer,
Just one bright slice
between the mountain’s spine
and that crop of tall oaks
their branches obscuring
the full Cheshire spectacle
of her crescent grin

And I can’t berate myself
for not thinking of this sooner
wending my way
on poorly lit country roads
the moon a beacon
smiling too widely
because we missed her slow emergence
her subtle reveal

but maybe it’s better this way
more intoxicating
the fullness to come,
not such a long wait
so we’ll drive out each night
to watch this silent dance
and wait for the finale

 

Moon Series – Day 5

Mon, 10/11/2010 – 23:52 — ToadSoda

Waxing Crescent – 7:29 p.m.

Cheated out of even the starlight
only clouds, the sound of crickets
and the faint promise of the moon
whose crescent waxes on
beyond the places where we sit

It looks like a different sky
from the last four nights
which were clear as glass
Why is it so warm
compared to yesterday?

 

Moon Series – Day 4

Mon, 10/11/2010 – 00:27 — ToadSoda

Waxing Crescent – 7:50 p.m.

I don’t ever remember waiting this long
to see the moon
because, who knew,
but this early in the cycle
the mountain blocks it from view
so you pretend to be a monster
while we sit in the dark

 

Moon Series – Day 3

Sat, 10/09/2010 – 23:42 — ToadSoda

Waxing Crescent – 7:00 p.m.

Too early
The sky is my favorite color
A smooth blue, like lapis
mingled with the promise of a deeper black
dark enough to see the stars lack power
with the sun still breathing her last good-byes
and the moon, a full hour behind us
Will it show us a glimpse?
Let’s go out later tomorrow
lose the element of surprise
and stumble through a thicker darkness
that’s when the sky reveals herself
an unclothed morsel
beset with dazzling jewels
I imagine the moon will glimmer up there
a slight crescent
the edge of my nail
I’ve never felt so anxious to see it
as though to prove the truth of everything
your gold boots glimmer in the flashlight’s eye

 

Moon Series – Day 2

Fri, 10/08/2010 – 23:20 — ToadSoda

New Moon – 6:50 p.m.

At twilight the sky looks bruised
like a peach too far gone
but now we’ve moved beyond that
as we wait for the moon
and mosquitoes hold their happy hope
of mid October feasts
and after all the color is gone
the twinkling starts
first one, then two
but even after the bucket of sky
is filled with starlight
still, no moon.

Take a deep breath
follow where I’m looking
I only want a sliver to appear
up from the mountain
as the sun runs on
your face is the earth, ok?

 

Moon Series – Day 1

Fri, 10/08/2010 – 00:18 — ToadSoda

New Moon – 7:41 p.m.

There is no moon, so what’s new?
The sky, scrubbed clean,
a wash of darkness
sparkling with faint starlight
(only an echo of the moon)
This house looms
a monolith
set in stark relief
all angles and sharpness
against the open dark