Myiesha Alam

Grade: 11

Solon High School

Instructor: Nanci Bush

Praying to the Moon

Poetry

Praying to the Moon

Do you remember me, Moon?
An ivory flame carefully lit
in the spiraling darkness of the night
I remember you
gentle beams light like feathers
caressing my skin, as I blinked up at you
in all your glory.
And I remember
the smoke passing over you
before hiding you away completely.

Your blinding beauty
haunted me as I
threw death at strangers.
Your accusing glare
drowned me in
the slow dregs of midnight air.
Your blaring glow
consumed me as I
took life from the innocent.

O, sweet moon,
Won't you keep my holed heart company
And surround me with your misty luster?
O, gracious moon,
Won't you soothe the aching of our broken soldiers
And heal our wounds with stardust?
O, tender moon
Won't you sing us to sleep on the roughest nights
And quiet our shuddering cries of horror?

Shine your light on me
while fear breaks me down slowly,
squeezing my heart
clutching my throat
clawing at my chest.

Rotting here, on a blood-colored field,
I beg you not to leave me.
But you only gaze at me in pity
as the clouds steal you away once again.
For even the hypnotic light
of the brightest moon
cannot quell the rampage of war.