LUMINOUS JEALOUSY

for Margaret

You asked me to write about the moon,
how bright she looked before dawn
after being polished by admiration
of her notable eclipse viewed round
our planet…but she’s gone now, notably 
absent, an actress who had enough
of the show and found a quiet
coffee shop with a few close friends,
plunked herself down on a barstool 
with a satisfied weariness
and is sitting there still, no one
quite sure why her face beams with
such uncanny intensity.  Back here, 
you may have noticed, the sun
simmers a bit, mostly pulling
clouds over his face, trying
in spite of his basic nature
to scowl, not pleased in the least 
at getting so little credit
for the lighting, God’s sakes,
the lighting in last night’s
phenomenal show.

-- Patricia Campbell Carlson