Today sees the Harvest Full Moon. It’s a potent one this year, calling us to let go of the past and make our peace with change. So I have two pieces of (hopefully!) inspiration for you, to help you explore your relationship with the full moon. There will be more next week on handling change.
If you enjoy these poems, please share this article with your friends and loved-ones. And you might enjoy my new novel – You Take Yourself With You – which is being published very soon. There’s a form for you to register to get the pre-launch bonuses, further down this page.
x Clare
Harvest Full Moon
I can’t sleep.
The lights are on.
Grumpily I tear my sleep-hungry body from the warmth of the duvet to turn the lights off,
Silently scolding whoever forgot.
But the light is outside,
Announcing itself through cracks in the curtains
Like a Town Crier
Belly bursting out of his bright red coat,
Filling the market square with his message, demanding attention
My bare feet flinch at the cold of the floor
And I slip between the curtains
Heavy and smooth in my hands
Not wanting the light
To wake my husband’s gentle breath
Colour-stripping light caresses
Every blade of grass
Each autumn leaf, drained of its orange vibrance, clinging to the old oak
The broken tiles on the roof of the barn. I won’t let them nag me.
The clouds glow
As though painted
In a thousand shades of silver
By a million tiny brushes
Just for me.
The moon looks down
And enjoys her Kingdom
Drinking in the canvas she has created.
She commands me to howl
Willing me
To express the wonder she inspires
I refuse
Denying my instincts
My family sleeps
And instead I agree
To shed a silent tear of awe
And gratitude
Knowing that I, alone, on this planet of billions
Have been given the gift of this scene tonight
and in a few short hours it will vanish forever
Chased away
By dawn’s fiery fingers.
I Am The Full Moon
I command you to howl!
I’ve been up all night
creating this canvas
for you to sleep through
I command you to howl!
Do you think
it’s for my own benefit
that I painstakingly lick every blade of grass
with shimmering light?
I command you to howl!
Do you appreciate
how many turgid meetings
I have had to endure with Dew,
to agree how we can best work together
to inspire and delight you?
I command you to howl!
I, singled handed,
control the tides
that rise and fall
at the whim of my orbit.
I command you to howl!
I keep your darkest secrets
I light your darkest journeys
I bring hope to your darkest hour
I command you to howl!
Like a lunatic in the asylum,
driven mad by the need
to pay me my dues.
I command you to howl!
Just one night a month
to express your true nature
to abandon the need to control.
I command you to howl!
I love you so dearly,
so softly,
so silently.
I am waiting for you tonight.
I hope you enjoyed these.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on your relationship with this Harvest Full Moon. You can let me know, via the comments.
x Clare
P.S. Could I tempt you to pre-order my new novel, which is currently with the editor? You can find out more here: www.ClareJosa.com/youtakeyourselfwithyou/ Thank you! Clare x