The Man in the Chinese Moon

Both Zhang and Tao, and Wang and Chen

They stare at the Chinese moon,

For the fifteenth day of the eighth month

They’ve waited and prayed at noon,

They’ve thought of the woman whose name is known

And written in script and rune,

They ponder her beauty and sinuous shape

As they stare at the round, full moon.

 

While on some hill, four girls sit still,

Their eyes raised clear to the sky,

They sigh and dream at a cold moonbeam

As they flush, turn red, and cry,

The book could tell them their future loves

But the book is held on high,

And even the children that wait to be born

Are written in ink that’s dry.

 

The man in the Chinese Moon, Yue Lao,

Is known to them, every one,

He keeps the book under lock and key

Lists every daughter and son,

Writes every lover before they’re born

Their partner, and every swoon,

Then beams and frowns as their wishes sound,

The Man in the Chinese Moon!

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Norma J. Jessee]

This is excellent David, I love these old legends and tales.. It seems that the older versions of tales such as this one make more sense, even have a purpose so to speak. Newer versions don't make much sense to me.
I love the way you told this tale, the flow was excellent.
Love it. You are a fabulous writer.