Passing By the Moon

When supper came late,
I strolled out into the night air
Under a blanket of a million stars.

The air was fresh and clean,
Cool, as if fall might arrive soon.
A breeze came from nowhere
Lifting me up … up,
My cotton dress billowing.
Higher and higher I flew,
The world growing smaller and smaller behind me.
Now the moon grew larger and larger,
Until I could touch its eerie canals and rocky craters.

I thought to land there, curious about the stories that I’d heard,
Yet unrestrained, we flew on past the moon.
Its light gave us guidance for a while…
And then it faded
And new stars came into view,
Their lights twinkled, as if applauding our adventure…
Searchers always find each other…

I closed my eyes and breathed in the cool night air,
Opening them abruptly to hear mama yell,
“Dinner’s finally ready, child! Get in here!”
The moon still called to me,
But mama’s cry was louder,
So I took my leave of these terrestrial explorations
And came to sit at mama’s table
For one last meal of cornbread and sweet tea.