A Guide to Prepare the Mind for Moonlight

Step 1: Go outside into the darkness  
rest your body amongst the pine trees— 
let the late summer breeze carry the scent down  
to your nose and into your lungs, 
the sap sticking to the sides of your body  
to numb unrelenting anxieties of yesterday, today and tomorrow.  

Step 2: Face the moon to bathe in 
the light that shall baptize your dreams— 
your uncontrollable ocean of repetitious mindlessness.  

Step 3: Close your eyes and feel the light on your lids 
the finger-touch from the mother moon above, 
singing to you gently with abundant hymn,  
“Go forth my child and live life on a whim—”  

Step 4: “—For life is too short to stand here  
and bask in my far-reaching song…”  
Open your eyes, now you’re fully 
recharged and motivated as  

Step 5: you travel back into the new darkness  
of your bedroom and escape to a dreamy wanderlust.

THIS POEM WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN ZUGZWANG: A POETRY COLLECTION BY DENICE LOVETT

Denice Lovett