Almost-Full Moon in Cloudy Sky

by Joan Leotta


Not quite full, still a lovely orb
even when the clouds roll by
not blocking the moon.
But darkening the sky.

Winter lightning flashes,
strikes my neighbor’s tree—
I can smell the fragrant sap,
see a trail of ashes

where it skimmed the bark;
a trail lit by bits of moon
still peeking out to mark
where moonlight might

edge out the dark.
heal the ruptured bark,
or heal my heart if not the tree
at least keep me company

until morning comes.


* * * * *

Joan Leotta tells stories on page and stage. Her poems, essays, articles, and short stories have been or are forthcoming in Visual Vee, Verse Virtual, Plague Papers, Writing in a Woman’s Voice, Pine Song and others. She has been a Tupelo 30/30 writer and a Gilbert Chappell Fellow.
She performs personal and folk tales of food, family, and strong women in libraries, at schools, in museums and at festivals. To relax and think up new tales she walks the beach, collecting shells. You can connect with her on Facebook. Joan Leotta.