October sorrow—
 
watching the hunter’s moon slip
 
back into darkness

 
 
 

full moon, empty mouth—
 
my granddaughter’s first lost tooth
 
under her pillow

 
 
 

New moon of August—
 
before me an unseen path
 
awaits my footsteps.

 
 
 

First night of the month—
 
the waning moon pours itself
 
into my teacup.

 
 
 

Little brown sparrow,
 
how brightly you sing again
 
after the new moon!

 
 
 

Night of the new moon—
 
I stumble in the darkness
 
on my homeward way.

 
 
 

Wane, strawberry moon!
 
I’ll keep following the voice
 
of the great horned owl.

 

 
 
 

Little brown sparrow,
 
were you fast asleep last night
 
when the full moon rose?

 

 
 
 

A red-winged blackbird,
 
perching on a twilit reed,
 
bends it toward the moon.

 
 
 

If the moon should freeze,
 
how would I find my way home
 
on this wintry night?