Epistle To the Moon, Who's Heard It All
for the "Letters to the Moon" challenge
What can I say to you,
oh luminescent marble,
that hasn't been said before?
.
Since the dawn of time,
people has sworn their love for you—
they sang odes about your mystic splendor,
wrote hymns to your pallid beauty.
.
What can I call you, then
oh, Celestial Pearl?
.
Yours is the light
by which my spirit’s born,*
You live in the lining of my skin.**
.
All worn-out, borrowed words,
repeated confessions
I never spoke aloud, yet
you've listened a myriad of times.
.
So what can I,
daughter of Selene,
your humble servant, say
that my crystal concubine***
hasn't got tired of yet?
.
You play hide-and-seek with the stars;
I am but a grain of dust—
ephemeral, imperceptible and trivial.
.
What could make you turn
your capricious face to me?
.
My hands are empty.
The words slip through my fingers.
.
You bear all my secrets,
you know every corner of my heart;
I have nothing to offer
that you haven't already received
from Shakespeare—or Cleopatra.
*Yours is the light by which my spirit’s born —e.e. Cummings
**The moon lives in the lining of your skin— Pablo Neruda
***crystal concubine — Mina Loy, Lunar Baedeker
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Comments (20)
Love the last three nods to the poets and how they interact with each other to form the poem. Congrats on another win.
Wooohooooo congratulations on your win! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Well done Imola!!! Congrats and I am sure the moon would beam it's happiness too.
Very pretty. The reader's mind is ever directed to the night sky in this poem.
🎑'Luminescent marble' very original. I haven't seen the moon, addressed in this way before. 😲 Wow. 'Mystic splendor' and 'pallid beauty'. I love that you held on, to the thought. Your loyalty to this description, ensured that it was deeply felt. 🎑Your 'crystal concubine' 🤯 oh my. The more I read, the deeper I get... The deeper I get, the more I value the lines you used by e.e Cummings, Pablo neruba and Mina. How you cleverly tied them into your letter, without a single beat, missed. 🎑Haven't already received from who? Shakespeare or Cleopatra. Okay it's final. The Vocal Team might very well choose this one to be on the list. Outstanding work, Imola 🤗 ❤️ 🖤
This poem feels like a love letter written by every soul who ever gazed upward in wonder. The restrained tone gives it dignity, while the quiet longing beneath the words makes it timeless.
I like this take Imola- we aren't the first to write on the moon, and far from the last! Your opening stanza sets things up so well with that self-awareness. "I am but a grain of dust— ephemeral, imperceptible and trivial."- I really liked the image here, and the simple picture vs the grand words😊
This was quite beautiful with a touch of innocence.
Beautifully crafted words. In the end that reference to shakespeare was geniously brought in into the phrase. Hehe Nice one @Imola Tóth
Haha, I love this! So whimsical and dreamy like you’re having a little chat with the Moon itself. Bet the Moon is taking notes.😉
This poem has a beautiful, unique glide
Your command of language and intertextual references is remarkable. The blend of classic allusions with personal introspection creates a timeless, haunting beauty in this poem.
What a love letter to this celestial being. Good job.
Beautiful 🩶
This is exactly what I felt when I saw this challenge. Like I don't think I could offer anything that hasn't already been offered. Loved your beautiful poem!
Beautifully written. I love the humility and wonder in this.
Well-wrought! And a special thanks for the reference notes!
"they sang odes about your mystic splendor" ... and so perfectly said for the past, present, and probably, the future. GREAT.
That celestial pearl line is magnificent
Love how you put a line by e e cummings in