Phrases of the Moon: Lunar Poems

The moon, the stars, the sun - celestial bodies have prompted poets to wax eloquent probably since the beginning of time. The mystery of the changing sky and the mysticism of the imagined shapes are touchstones in all cultures. Learning how each society interprets the sky similarly and differently is an area of study by itself.

Creating poetry about the moon wasn’t just a pastime for the ancients. American poet and former U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate, J. Patrick Lewis has written a book of poems for children specifically about the moon and its seductive qualities. Lewis is the author of more than 50 books of poetry for children, and the poems in Lewis’s latest book confirm his role as a master of the form and deserving of the many accolades and awards he has received, including the Society of Children Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Text (2002) and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Excellence in Children's Poetry Award.

The poems are rhyming, rhythmic, contemplative, whimsical and humorous. There’s even a poem to satisfy children’s insatiable desire for a “scary,” Hallowe’en poem. Carefully crafted, the beautiful poems will teach children how to read to a rhythmic beat, will teach them the beauty of precisely-chosen words that create vivid images, and how to realize the breadth and depth of a simple subject.

Consider the thoughtful Haiku:

At bedtime, blue moon blues-
trucksound and training
strum the wind’s guitar

Or the wry “Cow Dreams”

Cows that stand in farmers’ fields
Promise tons of sunny yields.

Cows that belly down in shade
Bring spring showers, I’m afraid.

Cows that give the Moon a moo
Wait for starlight, then give two.

Cows that fall asleep and dream
Dream the Moon is pouring cream.

As well as his own original poems, Lewis respectfully includes poems about the moon from other cultures: African, Tibetan, Japanese, Australian Aboriginal and German. Anticipating young readers will have factual questions about the moon, a list of “Moon Facts” is appended.

Each poem is gorgeously illustrated by Vancouver artist Jori van der Linde, with shades and shadows of purples, greens and greys. Swirling clouds, sparkling stars and billowing breezes dance in the sky, images of the craters and the anthropomorphic face of the moon weave in and out of the images. “Names of the Moon: A Found Poem” is accompanied by silver-white birds, fish, flowers, animals and leaves flying across the picture, taking the reader on a flight of fancy.

Phrases of the Moon: Lunar Poems can be used to teach poetic structures and conventions and can serve as a literary adjunct to a science unit about the sky. Reading the poems aloud, discussing the content and the writing can provide the example for children to write their own poetry. Both the poems and the artwork invite exploration and appreciation.