THE MOON SMILED

The moon smiled
at me, showed me her
face with eyes, nose, mouth
full frontal smiling
I swear she looked
directly at me
and talked without
opening her mouth
I heard her say

I am the protector
of the night and I will
hold you in safety

Mama to midnight dreams
and visions on the edge
of waking, she knows what
humans are made of
she gave up her own dust
come down in the Euphrates Valley
and offered us the stuff of heaven
she smiles knowing we
are ignorant of her power
that we are willful in our
unknowing, but she smiles

I saw her and paused
I waited for her voice
the lunar language of
eons gone by 
I listened, knowing
she is not quick with her words
but she means them
whenever she decides
to decode the universe
for anyone paying attention

Her smile captivated me
enchanted me like 
the priestess of hidden things
like the goddess of
wisdom that grows best
on the dark side of her surface
She incubates joy in the night
and yields it in the morning
when the Sun comes to work
but she does not yield her
power--she only waits for the dark
to smile again at anyone
who stops to honor her.

The moon smiled at me
I gave thanks, and smiled back.

Valerie Bridgeman
© August 23, 2013