Moon Viewing

It's #PoetryFriday!

This week, September 24, was tsukimi 月見 (moon viewing) or jūgoyatsuki 十五夜月 (15th night moon) of the 8th lunisolar month--the full harvest moon. Serendipitously it was also the last day of the three-day higan (equinox) weekend.

For tsukimi, naturally we always hope for clear skies and plan to view the rising full moon.

Since this is the season when susuki (Japanese pampas grass) plumes "bloom" . . .



we set out decorations of susuki and seasonal flowers and offerings of harvest vegetables and tsukimi dango.
For dinner we might eat tsukimi udon or tsukimi soba or various round foods in honor of the moon. This year I made my own version of tsukimi soba with various toppings--instead of the egg yolk in the center, I opted for a moon of ground chicken. And dessert of a rabbit wagashi sweet.

On tsukimi we might also read some moon books such as these on the shelves at Tokyo's Crayon House book store.
And we might hold moon viewing parties and compose poetry. This year we didn't hold a party, but we did turn our faces up to that perfect moon rising into the clear night sky. And I did compose a poem.

Tsukimi
some years you’re heavily draped in cloudsor shawled in mist, or you catch us off guard in autumn school and work weeks when we forget to gather susuki plumesand barely remember to glance up and search for your familiar face to whisper thanks
but this year you arrive on a holiday justmade for wading into your long low tidesand you climb the hills and peer throughtrees, teasing, before striding into the skybold, assured, in sync for now with our sun,our harvests, and our evened nights and days
All rights reserved © Holly Thompson 2018

For this week's Poetry Friday KidLit Round Up, visit the blog of Jone Rush McCulloch.

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