Monday, September 3, 2012

September Heights, day 4: Moon

Inspired by the theme at


Today's theme is one of my favorites ... Moon. I love the moon in all her manifestations and all those wonderful nicknames she is given through history. This is the September Heights so I associate this theme with the moon of Autumn which is, in my opinion the most wonderful one as it is (and was) for the classical and modern Japanese poets.

Corn Moon or Harvest Moon, the full moon of September
The full moon of September is called Corn Moon or Harvest Moon. This full moon’s name is attributed to Native Americans because it marked when corn was supposed to be harvested. Most often, the September full moon is actually the Harvest Moon, which is the full Moon that occurs closest to the autumn equinox. In two years out of three, the Harvest Moon comes in September, but in some years it occurs in October. At the peak of harvest, farmers can work late into the night by the light of this Moon.
I love all those different names for our natural satelite the moon.

Credits: Chrysanthemum Moon
In China the full moon off September is called Chrysanthemum Moon and in the classical Celtic culture the September full moon was called Singing Moon (or Muin - Vine -) as this month is named in the Tree or Ogham calendar). It has been so named in reference to the festive attitude known to every laborer who has toiled to complete work necessary to the survival of the community and now celebrates the completion of those labors.

This is a time for the exhilaration that comes with rest after your labors. Whether you know this as the Beaver Moon, the Fog Moon, or the Singing Moon, you are able to feel all energies marching resolutely toward completion, acceptance, and mellowing. The balance of light and darkness brought by the Autumnal Equinox on 9-21 is the culmination to be found at this turn of the Wheel.
The Summer King, mortally wounded by the grain harvests, prepares to make his way to the Summerlands deep within the mysterious underworld where all things are bound to travel before they are renewed with the spring. In his final sacrifice he offers to take your deepest fear, your heaviest burden, and your bitterest heartache with him on his journey.
This charitable offer to help you as you clear away your regrets and clean-up physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual clutter should be mirrored in your own offers of charity as your thoughts turn from what you need to preserve to carry your hearth and home through the darkness to come to what those around you still need to safely carry them through what is to come also.
The releasing of sorrows at this time of year is common to many cultures and often villagers would bring small representations of their regrets in the form of "corn dollies" to be thrown in the communal balefires lit to burn away the waste and unneeded husks of the recent harvest. (Source: Midnight Moonchild's website)

Singing Moon
Enough inspiration I think to write a haiku (or a few haiku) with the moon as theme. So let me try ...

through the broken window
I can see the Harvest Moon -
a love song for my wife

a love song for my wife
white Chrysanthemums and red roses
Singing Moon

Singing Moon
the Old Celtic druids already knew
Autumn equinox

Autumn equinox
I look at the Corn Moon
through the broken window


Well ... what do you think ... a canticle for the full moon of September ... see you all tomorrow

By the way: I hope to catch up with reading all your entries at September Heights. So much to read and so less time.




22 comments:

Barbara said...

I can ssee what you see through the broken window. Very nicely done.

Grace said...

Thanks for the interesting notes...the mystery and allure of the moon ~

I like the cascading haiku, specially the white and red flowers ~

Anonymous said...

A very involving and interesting write and mentions druids - nice

Anonymous said...

you always provide us with amazing backdrops to your haiku and then you WOW us with your very own haiku.
I do appreciate all your hard work and the fun you provide!

Ellecee said...

I like these cascading haiku, particularly the last lines
"Autumn equinox
I look at the Corn Moon
through the broken window"
Special haiku.

PattiKen said...

Thank you for the interesting background on the moon. I liked all your haiku, but espcially the the third.

knot2share said...

I love the Singing Moons!
Beautiful!

vivinfrance said...

A gorgeous post, both poetry and prose.

Anonymous said...

Nice cascading ... love the romance for your wife!!
September Heights - Choreographing Stars

Sri Valli said...

This is so romantic....Very beautiful set Kristjaan!

odyzz said...

Wow!! you make your posts so interesting..the minute details about the moon is just like a cherry on the cake...awesome..

Mariya Koleva said...

This is beautiful! Such a well-written and meaningful cascade! And so much said in it. I also liked the introduction piece - I really love reading of Wiccan stuff :-) (I guess, it's the girl in me still speaking)

Thanks a lot for sharing such wonderful poetry and info!
best, MK

Magical Mystical Teacher said...

Looking at the moon through a broken window is a powerful metaphor for life, is it not?

Pursuing the Moon


Hazel said...

Beautiful! I can never come up with something like this. There are several lines here I especially like - white chrysanthemums and red roses (both flowers adorning my wedding); harvest moon, old Celtic druids are faves too.

A Hopeless Romantic said...

Dreamy.
I especially could connect to Autumn eqinox.
I look forward to them. =)

Vinay Leo R. said...

Beautiful, Kris. I love the set, and the last one especially. I could picture it in my mind.

Thank you also for the notes :)

Unknown said...

I loved your style of haiku writing. Also your post is very informative.

Reading Pleasure said...

They are all lovely and well written. I like the background information; I have learnt so much today on your blog. Thanks for sharing.

Unknown said...

I enjoyed the structure you placed around your haiku set and the way it all flowed from one phase to the next - like the phases of the moon herself.

Someone is Special said...

How did you know all these facts right from Harvest Moon to Singing Moon!

And your Haiku is the best. I could see through the broken window too :)

Keep writing!

Someone is Special

Jolly said...

Beautiful flowing haiku. Loved all of them.

joanne said...

wow, I now know so much about the moon, espec. the full moons of this season....you are so knowledgeable and full of wonder at all nature phenomenon....I was fascinated, espec. the moon of regrets!