Full Moon

Robert Hayden

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No longer throne of a goddess to whom we pray,
no longer the bubble house of childhood's
tumbling Mother Goose man,

The emphatic moon ascends--
the brilliant challenger of rocket experts,
the white hope of communications men.

Some I love who are dead
were watchers of the moon and knew its lore;
planted seeds, trimmed their hair,

Pierced their ears for gold hoop earrings
as it waxed or waned.
It shines tonight upon their graves.

And burned in the garden of Gethsemane,
its light made holy by the dazzling tears
with which it mingled.

And spread its radiance on the exile's path
of Him who was The Glorious One,
its light made holy by His holiness.

Already a mooted goal and tomorrow perhaps
an arms base, a livid sector,
the full moon dominates the dark.

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Comments1
  • abbiewhc023787

    Just read this poem and gotta say, the imagery and symbolism is really something. "the white hope of communications men" kinda captures the advancement of technology, don't it? But what was a bit confusing is the lines about the moon being made holy by tears and it's light on the "exile's path". Who is this referring to exactly? Also, why does the moon shining on the graves of the speaker's loved ones seem to have an eerie tone? Any ideas guys? It's an interesting but puzzling poem.