Martine Bellen

Monkey God born under Hunter’s Moon, Moon-cake
Moon, Lantern Moon, Lariat Moon lassoing
the Moon through a clerestory window,
through her Moon heart,
her Mooning soul,

moaning as weeds are yanked, dirt swept,
and the family sets offerings of spirit money
and yellow-white blossoms, unripe and mature
fruit simultaneously bloom clustered or singly
on bark shaded by Lemon Moon or baobab

hovering over florescent puddles of Moon
light bathing forest floor reflects
the Moon liquid, liquid Moon
Aurora of Monkey’s boon

dancing sideways and upside-down, Moon-deep
in the River of Stars.

***






Painting by James Graham