Drinking in Moonlight

“No one to drink with
well, there’s the moon.”
– Li Po

Hey, the moon’s been hungover

three nights

after drinking with you!

Look at it

lying on its back, pale thing,

the top of its head completely gone!

It’s got one foot

on a carpet of clouds

but the earth’s still tilting.

Now the tides

won’t high and low

when they’re supposed to.

Don’t raise your jar to coax it down!

Don’t sing your tavern songs!

The tree frogs and coyotes

have fallen mute. Cranes

go off in the wrong direction

and in the grass there is no dew

to soak the lovers’ clothing –

they pull it on too soon!