The Moon in Poetry
A heartfelt poem honoring the moon’s timeless presence.
Dear Moon
I have been meaning to write for some while now
though I know you have received countless such notes
from poets who came before me and who will come after.
You must remember Keats how he watched you
through his consumption writing by candlelight
until his lungs gave way. And Plath furious
and brilliant who saw in your face
her own fractured beauty.
I wonder if you tire of our devotion
our endless need to make you a symbol
and metaphor when you are simply
yourself a celestial body in orbit
pulling tides and dreams with equal force.
Tonight, I sit here thinking of all
the voices you have heard, poetic souls,
work songs under your glow, soldiers
writing final letters home, children
making wishes on your crescent smile.
Do you remember the night Neruda
composed his odes in Chile or when
Angelou first found her voice
after years of silence? You were there
for both weren't you faithful observer.
The new poets still call your name
they type it into phones, text it
to lovers post it on screens
that glow like tiny moons themselves.
The medium changes the longing remains.
I write because I need you to know
we still look up. Despite the city lights
that try to wash you out. Despite
our busy lives that forget wonder.
We still need your ancient presence.
Thank you for being constant
in a world that spins beneath us.
Thank you for the way you make
even the loneliest among us
feel part of something eternal.
With affection and gratitude,
A voice among voices
About the Creator
Tim Carmichael
Tim is an Appalachian poet and cookbook author. He writes about rural life, family, and the places he grew up around. His poetry and essays have appeared in Bloodroot and Coal Dust, his latest book.
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Comments (4)
Such a beautiful letter 🌙 I love how you wove history, poets, and present-day voices together.
Awww, this is such a lovely letter to the moon. If the moon can read, he would be soooo happy and touched. Loved your poem!
Wonderfully done, weaving in the old and the new. Loved “pulling tides and dreams”
Simply beautiful. I love how you acknowledge the moon's "ancient presence" and the way it's still necessary today for poets and, well... everyone really. Excellent piece.