Ruth L. Schwartz: "I had been sad for so long that it shocked me,"

the enormous yellow moon
balanced like a honeydew

on the hill's knife-edge,
fat and implacable.

It wavered there as long as it could,
then started—and who can blame it—

its slow slide.
As if it meant to show me what was missing.

As if the world were asking, Will you learn
to stand beside this pain?

No, I said,
I wish it dead.

I said no. But the world
said yes.

"I had been sad for so long that it shocked me," by Ruth L. Schwartz. Text as published in The Sun (April 2013). © Ruth L. Schwartz. Reprinted by permission of the poet.

Art credit: Untitled image by unknown photographer.