An Appearance of Two Moons

An Appearance of Two Moons

Anticipating the rare moment of Mars in perigee
with the moon rising full

I stood in the front yard well past midnight
to watch them traverse the sky.

But there were storm clouds threatening, and I could
only see their shine, an occasional slice

of the moon's tiara, but no gallant laying down
his cloak to spare her sparkling shoes.

I stood in the dark, the mercury streetlights
crackling, the clouded curtains

barely contained the light of their twining,
brighter than a stormy noon.

In the further east of clearer skies the double moons
brought wonder to a burdened life,

a story to tell the grandchildren—
there are no ordinary nights.