The sun, steady in its season
warms seed, breeds the mayfly
ripens grain and dries the foal.
It rises daily to show its faithful head
earlier in summer longer to bed in winter
bright faced or cloud veiled
rarely eclipsed by the changeable moon
it pursues its duty faithful as the farmer
dedicated as the laborer
accepting the housewifely monotony
of its circle.
But the moon turns a different face
each day, pulls the sea like taffy
counters the weight of the sun
her reflective countenance
a reminder of night powers
and that all things change.
Reprinted with permission from the book, Breaking the Surface: Poems 2007 – 2009 by Janet M. Taliaferro.
Photo Source: Saguaro Moon, Astronomy Picture of the Day
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Janet Taliaferro is a graduate of Southern Methodist University and holds a Master’s Degree in Creative Studies from the University of Central Oklahoma, where she received the Geoffrey Bocca Memorial Award for graduate writing. Her novel, A Sky for Arcadia, was a finalist in the 2002 Oklahoma Center for the Book Award. She has published short stories and poems in The Northern Virginia Review, New Plaines Review, Deep Fork Anthology, Dream Quarterly International and Tight. She lives in Virginia but has been a summer resident of Wisconsin since she was eight years old. She is a member of American Independent Writers and Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets.
[Poetry Break Editor Note]