the dark shifts into
wakefulness—I open eyes
to the clear calmness
of the moon—she understands
all languages of the night—
how to repattern
the spectered endings into
way stations—a pause
between shadows cast backwards and
those strung with celestial light
Off prompt for NaPoWriMo but on prompt for Colleen’s Tanka Tuesday where she asked us to capture a moment in the tanka form.
K. 
Wait, is that hand ✋️ part of the collage?
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I think I just placed it on the painting and photographed it without gluing it down, but I’m not sure–I did it quit awhile ago. Some of my art just exists as photos. It’s not my own hand, it was cut out from something, although I have used my hand in photos at times.
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I love this (of course)–moon, time, and shadows. I didn’t even realize these were tanka!
Words and images go together perfectly.
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Thanks Merril. I can’t escape the moon.
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And why would you want to!
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Never.
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This is just gorgeous. You make the moon seem like the path of truth, a new cult, and I’m ready to follow 🙂
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I believe there have been moon cults as long as there has been any kind of civilization. For good reason. Thanks Jane.
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Women’s cults. Part of their mystery. I’m guessing that the only reason we have a ‘Mary’ cult is because early people couldn’t understand a religion without a female presence/mother up at the top of the hierarchy.
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I’m sure that’s true. The Catholic church was good at disguising pagan thought as Christian.
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I know the German and Celtic tribes refused to be converted to a religion that had a father god, his son, and instead of a mother, a bird.
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Wise.
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Mystical art and words 💜
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I love these, Kerfe! Great poems!
Yvette M Calleiro 🙂
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com
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Thanks Yvette.
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The moon so magical – like your verses and artwork 💞
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Thanks Angela.
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‘she understands
all languages of the night’ – I love these lines, as I’m sure she does 🌝
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Thanks Ingrid.
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Ahh those “spectered endings into way stations”! You’re right, we are definitely getting the same messages from the moon. Probably because she knows we’re always listening.
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She does!
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I was mesmerized by your words and fascinated by the art! I love the constellations stitched onto the collage and then painted onto the second one – gorgeous!
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Thanks Muri. I love the structure of constellations and they lend themselves to French knots. I was pleased with the way this one turned out.
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This is very beautiful, Kerfe. The moon in the role of celestial thought keeper.
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Thanks Robbie. I believe she is.
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OK, Jane and Kerfe… I loved the discussion of “Moon cults.” LOL. I always see the sun as masculine, and the moon as feminine. Your art always adds more dimension to your words, Kerfe. Lovely tanka that burst with meaning!
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Thanks Colleen. We can never resist bringing in something pagan to accompany the moon.
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