The Phases of the Moon

 

I
No moon yet new moon
when I lie down to sleep
teach me your acceptance of darkness

II

A gift in the night
a crescent of light
with a dim stone
in the palm of its hand

III

Half dark half light
to us she is split black and white
but up close she is gray
during her day
revealing craters and ridges

IV

Gibbous moon
is that you behind the clouds
come out and look down at the sea
you will not see your asymmetry
the waves will toss your form away
and you will see your light and know
who you are and where you go

V
Even though the sun has left
you reflect its bright glory
you are its mirror
and even though many souls have left
you are their mirror

you are the same moon
my grandfather sat and watched
the same moon
Jesus and Gandhi prayed beneath

looking up
I remember them and feel their light

 

Bradley Samore currently lives in North Carolina and is a high school English teacher. His writing has been featured in various publications including West Texas Literary Review, Foliate Oak Literary Magazine, and SLAB Literary Magazine.