Nine Ways of Shaping the Moon [#FullMoonSocial2014]

Posted on October 8, 2014 by robert okaji

Written in response to Jeff Schwaner’s invitation to this evening’s Full Moon Social Party. I’m kicking off the festivities by pairing the poem with a glass of chilly Jaume Serra Cava, accompanied by a tad of Cypress Grove’s Humboldt Fog soft-ripening goat cheese on a slice of crusty baguette, with a handful of grapes and almonds. Cheers!

Nine Ways of Shaping the Moon
– for Lissa

1
Tilt your head and laugh
until the night bends
and I see only you.

2
Weave the wind into song.
Rub its fabric over your skin.
For whom does it speak?

3
Remove all stars and streetlights.
Remove thought, remove voice.
Remove me. But do not remove yourself.

4
Tear the clouds into threads
and place them in layered circles.
Then breathe slowly into my ear.

5
Drink deeply. Raise your eyes to the brightness
above the cedars. Observe their motion
through the empty glass. Repeat.

6
Talk music to me. Talk conspiracies
and food and dogs and rain. Do this
under the wild night sky.

7
Harvest red pollen from the trees.
Cast it about the room
and look through the haze.

8
From the bed, gaze into the mirror.
The reflection you see is the darkness
absorbing your glow.

9
Fold the light around us, and listen.
You are the moon in whose waters
I would gladly drown.

Visit Jeff’s blog, Translations from the English, at http://jeffschwaner.com/

WordPress tag: fullmoonsocial2014

57 thoughts on “Nine Ways of Shaping the Moon [#FullMoonSocial2014]”

annettefr on October 8, 2014 at 7:49 pm said:

Thank you! And enjoy 🙂 http://whenthesunwakes.wordpress.com

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- robert okaji on October 8, 2014 at 9:21 pm said:
  
  The pleasure was all mine! You have a great blog.
  
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Jeff Schwaner on October 8, 2014 at 7:53 pm said:

One way of reshaping your apprehension of the world: read Robert Okaji’s poetry.

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- robert okaji on October 8, 2014 at 8:21 pm said:
  
  Thanks, Jeff, as always. This has been a great party!
  
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St Brigid Press on October 8, 2014 at 7:55 pm said:

WONDERFUL.

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- robert okaji on October 8, 2014 at 8:21 pm said:
  
  Thanks, Emily.
  
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moirainori77 on October 8, 2014 at 8:12 pm said:

This is beautiful.

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- robert okaji on October 8, 2014 at 8:20 pm said:
  
  Thank you.
  
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pi314chron on October 8, 2014 at 9:03 pm said:

I have allotted myself only 20 words to tell you how deeply this short poem has affected me.
Braunschweiger, odiferous.

😛

R

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- robert okaji on October 8, 2014 at 9:06 pm said:
  
  But not head cheese. Thank you.
  
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  - pi314chron on October 8, 2014 at 9:36 pm said:
    
    LOL! I’m with you on that! Oh, the “Braunschweiger” and “odiferous” had nothing to do with your poem. I just used them as filler to make the 20-word allotment.
    
    😛
    
    Ron
    
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  - robert okaji on October 9, 2014 at 5:43 am said:
    
    As it turns out, I do like braunschweiger…
    
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ajinkyakher on October 8, 2014 at 9:29 pm said:

Hi Robert, You write on so many different things, and write beautifully.. Thanks for liking my post!
Looking forward to being a successful blogger like yourself..

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- robert okaji on October 9, 2014 at 5:46 am said:
  
  You are very generous.Thank you.
  
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Planet Dream Diaries on October 8, 2014 at 9:32 pm said:

What a wonderful exercise of emotionally expression – and I did start off tilting my head. Very nice, excellent in fact.

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- robert okaji on October 9, 2014 at 7:26 pm said:
  
  Thank you very much. I’m so glad you like it.
  
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Leigh W. Smith on October 8, 2014 at 9:46 pm said:

Lissa is lucky to have such magical and loving wordplay in her honor. Beautiful, Robert! 🙂

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- robert okaji on October 9, 2014 at 5:48 am said:
  
  I’m the lucky one, Leigh. Thank you!
  
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Lorien on October 8, 2014 at 9:50 pm said:

Just beautiful…and I love Humboldt Fog…thank you!

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- robert okaji on October 9, 2014 at 5:51 am said:
  
  I also love Cypress Grove’s Truffle Tremor. Yum. And thank you!
  
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Mad Nettie on October 8, 2014 at 9:53 pm said:

I’ll take the cheese and grapes …while Lissa enjoys the adoration. 🙂

Byuteefulus piece, btw. 🙂

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- robert okaji on October 9, 2014 at 5:52 am said:
  
  Never stand between a woman and her cheese…
  Thank you.
  
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zdunno03 on October 8, 2014 at 10:26 pm said:

Beautiful, Robert. Just beautiful.

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- robert okaji on October 9, 2014 at 5:52 am said:
  
  Thank you, Leonard.
  
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jasbirchatterjee on October 8, 2014 at 11:24 pm said:

It’s a beautiful poem! Wish it could be converted into a song that one could sing!

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- robert okaji on October 9, 2014 at 5:53 am said:
  
  Thank you, but you would change your mind if I were the singer.
  
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  - jasbirchatterjee on October 9, 2014 at 6:35 am said:
    
    Poets and song writers may not always recite or sing their own compositions well. I find it much easier to recite somebody else’s poem and sing songs written by others
    
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C on October 8, 2014 at 11:48 pm said:

I use “lovely” far too often as a descriptor, but in so many ways this is truly lovely (or loverly?) — can’t stop re-reading this one.

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- robert okaji on October 9, 2014 at 5:55 am said:
  
  I’m so pleased you find it so.
  
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Ponder on October 9, 2014 at 12:13 am said:

Oh my my my my my! I’m stunned and swooning…..

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- robert okaji on October 9, 2014 at 5:55 am said:
  
  Swooning? So that’s where my Cava went! Thank you for your kind words.
  
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Jilanne Hoffmann on October 9, 2014 at 12:12 pm said:

Humbolt Fog and Cava. Perfect combo. Perfect shape. Perfect moon. Can there ever be such a thing as a perfect poem?

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- robert okaji on October 9, 2014 at 7:27 pm said:
  
  We can only try.
  
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joanna on October 9, 2014 at 12:20 pm said:

gorgeous and tender. poem, wine, nibbles, beauty. a perfect night.

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- robert okaji on October 9, 2014 at 5:52 pm said:
  
  Yes, a perfect night. Thanks.
  
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willow1945 on October 9, 2014 at 1:35 pm said:

Robert, this is so beautiful and romantic, subtle and mysterious–my favorite of yours!

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- robert okaji on October 9, 2014 at 5:52 pm said:
  
  That means a lot to me. Thank you!
  
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Melissa Shaw-Smith on October 9, 2014 at 6:40 pm said:

Good stuff–‘nough said.

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- robert okaji on October 9, 2014 at 7:27 pm said:
  
  Thank you, Melissa.
  
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Charlotte on October 9, 2014 at 11:56 pm said:

Love this! Thank you!

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- robert okaji on October 10, 2014 at 6:14 am said:
  
  Thank you, Charlotte.
  
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Mike on October 11, 2014 at 7:40 pm said:

An enviously elegant ennead. Nicely done.

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- robert okaji on October 13, 2014 at 4:43 pm said:
  
  Somehow the form seemed to fit. I’m so glad you approve.
  
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luckykaye on October 12, 2014 at 11:22 am said:

This is so lovely. Thank you so much for visiting my site, and leading me to yours.

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- robert okaji on October 13, 2014 at 4:44 pm said:
  
  You’re very welcome. And thank you.
  
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jswunxin on October 14, 2014 at 5:07 am said:

Always delighted to read your poems. This piece is beautiful and somehow grants inner peace. I will continue reading poems.

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- robert okaji on October 14, 2014 at 8:04 am said:
  
  Thank you.
  
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rubyr8 on October 17, 2014 at 2:37 pm said:

WOW. Thats all i can say

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- robert okaji on October 18, 2014 at 7:59 am said:
  
  And that’s one of the best things you could say. Thank you!
  
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Maggie on October 24, 2014 at 1:01 am said:

I like this a lot. Especially verse 3..It reminds me to let myself just breathe and enjoy nature and to block out the distractions that prevent me from appreciating it more often. Great job again!

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- robert okaji on October 24, 2014 at 5:54 am said:
  
  Thanks, Maggie. I enjoyed participating in the Full Moon Social, terrifying tho it was to release something to public view so quickly.
  
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  - Maggie on October 26, 2014 at 9:50 pm said:
    
    Good on ya!
    
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youngandunsound on October 25, 2014 at 12:13 pm said:

Reblogged this on and commented:
Beautiful poem from O at the Edges (Robert Okaji). Absolutely loved this piece.
“Talk music to me. Talk conspiracies
and food and dogs and rain. Do this
under the wild night sky.”

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- robert okaji on October 25, 2014 at 3:12 pm said:
  
  Thanks for reblogging this.
  
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Rob McShane on November 1, 2014 at 5:38 am said:

Oh Yes! a literary style on your own Robert – you shine bright mate – keep it up… please!

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- robert okaji on November 1, 2014 at 5:55 am said:
  
  Thanks, Rob.
  
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