Monday, March 7, 2011

Moonlit Visitor

Moonlit Visitor


A sickle moon is out tonight
Both tips are pointing up
The unilluminated piece
Chocolate ice cream in a cup

While walking in the crisp, cool air
Companion by my side
A ghostly shape sailed overhead
Its shadowed wings did glide

The silent and the stocky form
In darkened sky did pass
Haunting screech, strong rang out
Through air as clear as glass

Again the call it comes to us
Rings out all through the night
The hooting of the male barred owl
We recognize it without fright

New resident of this Northwest
My eyes trace his owl’s passage
He’s a welcome settler
Come here with his grey dressage


Ken Goree


I’m asking for forgiveness on this one.  The second half was forced through during a migraine. 
The deal was pretty obvious, I think.  Orion and I were out for a walk, and we noticed … I mean, I noticed how incredibly amazing the moon looked tonight.  There was a bright sliver of moon, and from my vantage point, this evening, the two ends (tips) of the sickle were both pointing up; seemingly horizontal, parallel to the horizon.  The part of the moon that was not lit by the sun was still quite visible.  I likened it to chocolate ice cream.  Unfortunately, I am occasionally troubled by color-blindness (it is always there, but most of the time it isn’t a problem), so another flavor may have been a better choice for this poem.  Please, let me know if you saw the moon tonight, and would suggest another flavor.  If you suggest something with neon colored sprinkelss, I’ll stick with “chocolate.”

I hope no one is disappointed, but we didn’t see an owl tonight.  I just fused a prior memory with this night’s experience.  It worked for me .

3 comments:

  1. If fusing the present with a memory of the past works for the poet, it should do the same for the reader. I'm glad the owl found a place in your poem!

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  2. The moon was beautiful! As a recent transplant from Arizona, I relish seeing the night sky here in Seattle.

    As long as you asked....I thought the color of the unlit part of the moon that night was more blue-black then chocolate. Blackberry gelato?

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  3. Thank you, Lisa. I hope you won't mind my using that if I end up putting this poem in a book.

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