Leigh Anne Eck has been naming moons. I was taken by this photo she posted and her commentary about it:
I have been naming skies for a few months now. Typically I capture the morning sky on my way to school. Tonight I captured this one on my way home from a basketball game.
I have named it “perspective.” Sometimes when we look at something from another perspective, our eyes and hearts become open to new possibilities! I hope you see something with new eyes this week!
Leigh Anne (Facebook post)
When I was walking in the early morning on Tuesday, the sky was a deep blue with the moon glowing its heart out before the sunrise. We are often mused by the moon, I know, but I hope you will write another time and another about this mysterious and magical being. Leave a small poem in the comments and write encouraging words for other writers. Your vulnerability is safe here.
I’ve been listening to The Book of Common Courage by K. J. Ramsey. She writes poems and prayers as she is going through a healing journey. I loved the term “holy margins” and borrowed it here to write a luc bat short verse.
Sometimes clouds bloom above
Margaret Simon, draft
clouding the image of your light.
An orb of love this night
you fold in my tears, tight and true
with holy margins blue.
Reflections on the Teche 
Thank you for using my photo this week. Ruth Ayres taught me to name the sky, and I can honestly say, this process focuses me before I begin my day. This moon picture helped me to reflect on my day–a different perspective from my process.
I love the image of “holy margins.” And you have introduced me to a new poem form!
Shed tears
cleanse my soul
and fill me with hope
and a new
perspective.
Thank you for the beautiful photo, Leigh Anne. Your poem reads like a prayer. I feel your longing for hope and a new perspective.
After the rain comes the sun, just as a good cry brings hope. Thanks, LeighAnne.
Leigh Anne,
Thank you for sharing the photo with us today. It is lovely. I love the idea of naming the sky. That is such a thought-provoking practice. Your poem says so very much with such short verbs–shed… , cleanse… , fill… And I appreciate the message in your poem and the name you gave this unique sky. I’m taking that away today.
Your poem is a prayer. I love the connection with Ruth. I was so happy to see her at NCTE.
Beautiful photo and lovely words! Thank you!
Leigh Anne, thank you for your beautiful photo, post, and poem. I resonate with your poem, and I love the positivity of cleansing, fill me with hope, and a new perspective. Thank you for the reminder to look at life with a new perspective.
Thank you for Leigh Anne’s lovely photo. The term “holy margins” can be applied in many ways. I felt the moon like a giant eye watching over us and was drawn to write a tanka. I think it reads like a prayer to a higher being, whoever or whatever that may be.
with your loving light
illuminate the darkness
along life’s journey
watch over us, protect us
that we may know the glory
It does read like a prayer, Rose. I like the idea of the moon as an agent of a higher power, guiding and protecting us.
Rose, that is a sweet prayer. My favorite phrases are “loving light” and “illuminate the darkness” Those are important prayers to a higher being!
It seems the moon lends itself to prayer. I haven’t written a tanka in a while. I should revisit the form. Love the ending “know the glory.” It makes me think of Christmas hymns.
It does read like a prayer, Rose—and a heartfelt, beautiful one.
Oh Rose, this is beautiful! I agree it reads like a prayer. I love the positivity of your poem. I’m especially drawn to loving light, along life’s journey, and I love the moon watching over us and protecting us.
Leigh Anne, thank you for your beautiful photo for us to muse upon. Margaret, your luc bat is lovely. I especially like the “clouds bloom above,” giving me a new perspective, re: Leigh Anne’s naming practice.
a peek-a-boo moon
winks between clouds
keeping its secrets
~Jane Heitman Healy, draft
Love the idea of the moon playfully keeping secrets.
Jane, I went back to the picture and smiled at the moon’s sly smile and secret-keeping. I like the personification here.
Love the sound of peek-a-boo and ending with “keeping its secrets” which changes the tone to mysterious.
Love this, Jane—especially “winks between clouds”!
Jane, ooh, I love the playfulness of your poem “peek-a-boo moon.” I also love your personification “winks” and “keeping its secrets.”
Thank you, all.
Oh, Margaret, that is such a beautiful prayer. I too love the idea of “holy margins” and your “holy margins blue”.
Sister Moon shines on
Chasing away obstacles
Pinhole into Light
“Pinhole” is a new perspective.
Denise, I love your poem. I especially am drawn to the name, “Sister moon” and that she chases “away obstacles.” “Pinhole into light”-wow!
Oh, Denise, I love every line of this poem!
“Pinhole into Light” – sigh!
so few lines hold so much power! Love “Sister Moon” enduring, Denise
Margaret, thank you for sharing a new form of poetry in a wonderful poem and Leigh Ann’s beautiful photo and post. I love your poignant poem. I especially resonate with
“An orb of love this night /
you fold in my tears, tight and true.” And I love “clouds bloom” and “clouding.”
Last night I saw the moon, my poem refers to that moon.
Moon
behind a curtain
of clouds you rise
above mountains
a radiant diamond
I pour out, you listen
you shine advice
you are my friend
Gail Aldous draft
I wish I had your view. No mountains here. Thanks for writing today.
Thank you, Margaret. Sometimes the clouds look like mountains, too, which was actually the view I had after the moon rose. I just couldn’t get the wording right that the clouds looked like mountains. I have seen many moons over the Adirondack Mtns., which are beautiful.
Gail, what a wonderful image—I also see clouds as mountains sometimes (and kind of wish they were!), and love the “radiant diamond” moon as friend and listener…
Thank you, Carol.
I love the idea of the moon listening and giving advice.
Thank you, Rose.
“a radiant diamond” gives notes of “Twinkle, Twinkle.” How kind of Moon to give you advice, Gail.
Thank you, Jane, I hadn’t even thought of that. 🙂
Margaret, thank you for sharing this beautiful photo. It is true that the moon seems to become our muse so often….
Bright center in cloudy eye
sees us here, our dark pupils
blinking against your light.
Moon: tonight you win
the staring contest.
Draft, Carol Coven Grannick
Ooh, Carol I love your metaphor “Bright center in cloudy eye” and your personification in the rest of your poem. What a clever ending and a new perspective!
Ahhh – a staring contest! What a great new perspective.
Ha! Love the staring contest!
I love the extended eye/staring metaphor, Carol!
Frost Moon in November
Janet Clare Fagal
Your silver-tipped edges
so cold. So bright.
All metal and gleaming, you
shine like blazing stardust
wrapped in whisper-softness.
Round and full, we stand in awe,
time after time.
At night you peer into my room
strong and constant when clouds
don’t roam. You remind me that light,
opalescent, plentiful and pure,
comforts and protects.
I am awake and not alone with my thoughts.
You stand guard, vigilant, faithful, there.
How lucky to believe the Heavens
can sweep away darkness. And nature can heal.
I will be back to comment!
Janet, your first 5 lines make me want to touch the moon. I love your descriptions of moon as guardian and protector.
Wow, Janet wrote many beautiful images! I love your poem. I was especially drawn to these lines: shine like blazing stardust
wrapped in whisper-softness, we stand in awe, strong and constant, light, opalescent, plentiful and pure, comforts and protects. You stand guard, vigilant, faithful and great ending.
[…] « This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Perspective Moon […]