The Moon

this a poem for the moon

for the moon
who shines brighter than any star ever could
ever wise
ever steadfast
ever wonderful

for the moon
who comes and goes
and when the light is gone
your world is dark again
but somehow less daunting

for the moon
whose presence can calm
the storm that rages inside you
constant, constant
the sea in your veins silent

for the moon
who can ground you and guide you home
you've nothing to fear from the darkness
nothing to fear from your depths
that have drowned any who dare brave them

for the moon
who could guide you home
if you had one
but the sea calls you to wander
and yet when you look up it feels as though
you might belong somewhere
though you know not where
but it is calm

for the moon
oh, gods, the moon
you swore you'd never fall for the stars
you swore you'd never fall for the earth or the sun
you swore you wouldn't fall
because falling is a lot like drowning
and you've drowned plenty yourself
but you think
that it might just be worth it

for the moon
whose words are an anchor
whose voice a siren's song
begging you to come near and drown
drown, drown
give in and drown
and you are more than a little terrified

for the moon
who is calm and steady
and so very far from the sea
but it's just as well
because if it were not for the atmosphere
you would have no excuses
and you wonder
if there were no oxygen
is it anything like drowning

for the moon
who even in the face of
the sea in all it's terrible glory
remains unwavering
does not leave
and the storm beneath your surface
is calmed

for the moon
who is beautiful
and kind and gentle
and not nearly as perfect as poems
would lead you to believe
marred with craters and scars
that could never be flaws
and you find yourself unafraid of the dark

for the moon
who never once feared your depths
who never shied from your storm
who never asked that you be anything less
than a hurricane or silence and screaming and fear
who let you rage
like you had not been unreasonable
as if you hadn't destroyed ships and sailors alike
who let you cry
as though it were natural for the sea to weep
who calmed you
even as you broke yourself against the rocks

for the moon
who has turned you
from tempest to silence
and left you stunned

for the moon
who is so much more than you deserve
because that's the tragedy of it, isn't it?
that the sea, oh, the raging, horrid, treacherous sea
should love the moon, all shining beauty and gentle light
because moons don't love seas
they love suns and stars
all things much greater, kinder, warmer
than you
and you could never ask that the moon
give up the sun for something as cruel as the sea

for the moon
whose light reflects upon your surface
fractured and broken like all things that touch you
and makes you believe you could be better
that you, too, could be bright and kind and gentle

for the moon
who makes you wish you could be
calm and steady and brave
brave enough to risk falling
but you are not
because seas should not love moons
they should not love at all
they only rage and drown and shatter silver reflections
because seas are cruel and savage and reckless
and moons are bright and kind and give light in the dark
selfless and gentle moons
cannot love
heartless and cold seas
and
heartless and cold seas
do not deserve the light of
selfless and gentle moons

for the moon
who has done more than you deserve
who has turned a hurricane into a rainstorm
and never thought twice
about whether or not the sea was worth it

for the moon
who you will never be able to love
the way moons deserve to be loved
and instead can only offer a shallow, cold sort of love
and waves that are not gentle as they should be

for the moon
who makes you wish you were born
a gentle lake
or a bubbling stream
anything but a sea
anything but cruel and cold and unkind
anything but heartless
anything but grey

for the moon
for the moon who is not a star
for the moon who is not god
for the moon who is not a dream nor idea nor idol
for the moon who is just a girl

this poem is for the girl
who made you realize why poets write poems
for the moon