Daughter of the Moon by Terry Allen

 

Image | Carolina Basi

Daughter of the Moon

 

Lake Nokomis on an autumn day,

clear and sunny water,

bluer now after an early frost.

Jets fly low overhead,

 

roaring off to some exotic part of the world,

leaving Minneapolis far behind

to the mallards that swim nearby

to the couples out for a stroll

to the odd souls with metal detectors

sweeping for lost diamond rings or loose change

to lovers kissing under the Cedar Avenue Bridge

to dogs tugging at their leashes to run wild

to a spaniel caught for a moment in midair

as it leaps over rushes to splash in the water below

to the joggers, gracefully weaving

through children with scooters and skateboards.

 

A breeze blows in from the west

across the lake and caresses the back

of a runner in day-glow yellow sneakers.

She smiles at the reflected light of the moon

in the bright midday sky,

focuses on her breathing,

relaxes and bounds ahead,

sidestepping negative thoughts,

loving the cool air and the run itself,

that sends her rushing ever forward

to exotic places in her mind.

“Daughter of the Moon” was First published in Well Versed

© Terry Allen

Terry Allen

Terry Allen is an Emeritus Professor of Theatre Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he taught acting, directing and playwriting. He is the author of five poetry collections: Monsters in the Rain, Art Work, Waiting on the Last Train, Rubber Time, and Preserving the Past for the Present.

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