Setsubun 2012

The men replaced the moon last night,

hanging it a bit lower outside my window.

It now has its white shine again,

after I’d gotten used to a confusing tint of orange.

But, I will miss that dull sun of night,

as it marked a special couple seasons in my life.

The men were cheerful

in their truck and crane and helmets,

climbing the pole

and ratcheting off the moon’s supporting straps.

They smiled and spoke in sing-song signals

to mark the stages of the old moon’s removing

and the hoisting of the new.

And I even caught the guardman--

those men who usually look

like they’ve been plucked out of street-boxes

and wrapped in an oversized jacket

just for the day’s job--

enjoying an inspection of my neighbor’s

tiny plum blossom tree,

checking the buds’ progress

towards spring.

by jerry gordon

2.3.2012