ONCE IN A BLUE MOON

Ours is this summer night

Conquered by the blue moon

As seldom as this flight.

Chirping crickets swallow

The rustle of dry leaves

And of the undergrowth.

Luna peeks through the trees,

Wanting to bear witness

To our mutual feast.

Wild wolves' howls from afar

Harmonize with your groans

As I taste some sugar.

Our sudden about-face!

Your turn's my time to shine;

You o'erlay, I stargaze.

Your head down, my chin up,

Fair lady, gasp for air!

But for God's sake, don't stop!

Storm clouds cover the light;

In darkness, there's blindness.

The rest, history cites.

Reviews

[James Hanna-Magill]

Dear Sir Joe

You have honoured me with many reviews, for which thank you.

My turn to return your compliments.

I never know how to start a review.

These days it is simply a mix between how I feel and what a piece says to me.

And yours says much.

Your are from the Philippines and I from the UK.

But as I often say, our differences may as easily unite as much as our similarities may divide.

Your poem:

You caught me in our first line:

"Ours is this summer night"

Wherever we hail from, there are summer nights.

A point of inevitable correspondence.

But once caught you draw me in as any good writer (and you are) should.

Summer nights fade into blue moons.

Crickets do not exist in The UK.

But when I have been abroad, where it is hot, they do.

How to spend an evening listening to the song of cicadas?

How do you spend yours here?

In this case, in my view, making love.

And making love with passion.

Sex in situ.

Sugar in sex?

Yes!

Sex in writing?

Yes!

I apologise to anyone who closes their ears to sex, but it has often appeared to me over the years that it is rather more than a biological function!

Smile please. You are on Candid Camera!

It is a joy!

It is something to luxuriate in.

As you say 'Don't stop'

Best not if you are 'stargazing' while she is 'o'erlay'ing!

You enchant me with your sexual honesty.

Places people perhaps fear to tread as reviewers.

And even in their reviews (no complaint) others refuse to openly state.

Why?

In case they get it wrong.

Are we all prudes?

Who cares? I am not. Nor are you.

Take it as it comes.

Writing and the reading thereof is only ever a joint experience.

You have offered your reality.

I have merely offered you mine and my take; my reality in return.

Have I misunderstood you?

Perhaps.

Should you care?

No!

Accomplished writing?

Yes!

But more than that entirely open honest and disarming.

Can I find fault in your poem?

No or by now even I would have told you so.

Sir Joe?

I shall look forward to reading you more

With my warmest regards

Your friend


James

[Sir Joe]

How could I ever thank you enough, Sir James. You always astonish me with your words. My mind is kind of saying, "We have an expert here. And wow! He has just reviewed my poem!"
Saying "thank you" seems not enough but that's what I can just do for now.
I owe you one, Sir James. I'll come back to you. =)

Thank you so much!


- joe

[James Hanna-Magill]

Dear Joe

You owe me nothing.

All I ask for is your understanding.
read moreDear Joe

You owe me nothing.

All I ask for is your understanding.

Your friend

James

[Sir Joe]

Sir James, even before you said that, I've already been understanding you unsolicitedly. =)
read moreSir James, even before you said that, I've already been understanding you unsolicitedly. =)

Thank you so much, Sir James, for your kindness. =)


- joe

[Belle]

Hail to your poem and to this review. I cannot do more, but just read and re-read and again read. You two are making me love poetry more...

[Sir Joe]

Thank you, big sister. =)
Tell me what you think about the poem hahahaha

[James Hanna-Magill]

Dear Joe

You have an audience now, it would seem.

I just articulate the truth.

Is it that difficult?

I hope not.

And if it isn't, long may it be so.

James

[James Hanna-Magill]

James and Belle

Welcome

James

[James Hanna-Magill]

In an effort for clarity and in excuse my absence, I meant

Joe and Belle

Sorry

James

[Sir Joe]

I'm flattered, Sir James.

Thank you so much for those words. =)

[James Hanna-Magill]

Dear Joe and Belle

I like your mutual agreement and poetic honesty.

Frankly all I do is honesty these days.

What other purpose is there to serve?

I befriend you both.

I am tired and need to sleep soon.

With my best wishes to you both friends

James Hanna-Magill

[Sir Joe]

It is, indeed, true that when a person is overwhelmed, he couldn't quite squeeze the right words to say to the people who caused him that feeling.
=)

Sir James, my greatest thanks to you.


- joe

[Belle]

Definitely correct, yet, for sure, you can collect the overflowing emotion and will be able to put it all in words in your tranquil moment. ;)

[Sir Joe]

Wordsworth's right, indeed. If I still remember his exact words, these might be those, "Poetry is an overflow of man's unrestrained emotion recollected in a state of tranquility."
Correct me if I'm wrong, big sister and Sir James. =)

[Belle]

William Wordsworth : " “Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility.” ...One of my favorites from him. :)

[Sir Joe]

That's what I'm talking about hehehehe

[James Hanna-Magill]

You are both right, James

[Sir Joe]

Belle and I are planning to go to UK someday. =D
We will look for you there, Sir James, and perhaps sip some cups of coffee. =)

[KeelyJane]

This review speaks volumes. I couldn't have said it better. If only we all could receive such profound, honest and empathetic feedback.

[Sir Joe]

I agree, Keely. That's the great reviewer Sir James. =)

[Belle]

Yes, to UK and to Ancient Greece...

[Sir Joe]

Yeah! I'm so excited! =)

[James Hanna-Magill]

Hello Sir Joe and Belle and fiends

If I do anything in life, I only wish to help and not hinder.

Life is an oddity.

We can be plain and clear about it.

Or we can hide what we mean.

Should we be embarrassed about what we have to offer?

I say no.

My only limit would be where someone encourages others to harm someone else.

Not so here.

It is but enjoying all the fullness of life.

My objective is never to harm.

Just to help.

All I can hope is I do.

But only you can tell me whether I do or not.

I can't.

All is perception.

Read my profile,

Take care and with my best meant feelings

James Hanna-Magill

[Sir Joe]

SIr James, you are so much a great help to me.
I've already read your profile yesterday and all I can say is that I salute you. That introduction about you invoked empathy and sympathy. You don't deserve pity, you deserve commendation and respect. I bow down too you, Sir James, for your great cause.

- joe

[Rita L. Sev]

This is a lovely piece about true unity. Wonderful form and flow; even better imagery. Thank you for sharing!

[Sir Joe]

Thank you so much, Rita. =)

[Daisie Vergara (Dhaye)]

Finding someone who feels the same with you, is overwhelming. You enjoyed the night with that person, not in physical aspect, but in emotional phase... because you have the same heartbeat.

"Storm clouds cover the light;
In darkness, there's blindness.
The rest, history sites. " --- Whatever happens that nobody knows (in the dark), you both know it and that will stay forever in your heart ( as history).

My wish for you is to go on with your feelings. True love never have to be experienced once in a blue moon. It must be felt every moment of the day.

[Sir Joe]

Thank you for taking some time to read and review this poem of mine. =)
I appreciate it a lot.

[Daisie Vergara (Dhaye)]

Welcome :)

[KeelyJane]

This was a magnificent piece of poetry. Your metaphors for intimacy were beautifully penned. Thank you for sharing. Awesome sauce. :)

[Sir Joe]

Thank you, KeelyJane. =)
I appreciate your taking some time to read and review this poem of mine.

[Pax]

LOL… now I understand all this talk about sex…. Your poem speaks of intimacy, a passion beneath the roots of the trees… if I think of it the other way… it’s a story itself.. like I always see in a poem… two lovebirds making & seeing each other like it’s always the first time… exploring the moon & the stars in both eyes, wonder. Still I can’t help but think of a scene… an intimate moments of both lovers, sharing blissful thoughts and passion… through mutual link of the hearts despite the darkness and blindness like actions speaks more than words….

I enjoyed your poem mr. Joe…
As always you write in riddles… :D

[Sir Joe]

Thank you, Sir Paxie. =)
As always, I enjoy your reviews. =)

[Pax]

with all that... your most welcome...
the Paxie name...nagiging thread narin na name ko...lol...

[Sir Joe]

Hehehe well, that sounds cool. Paxie hahaha nice name.

[Sir Joe]

Once in a blue moon, it does happens. Two hearts, one beat. Two singers, one song.

[Belle]

This is an epitome of Imagism. You have concentrated to communicate through precise and vivid images, and the picture that has been presented, as a whole is subjective rather than objective. I respect Mr. James, on how he took the images he have seen, but for me this is how I look at it : seeing two people together in a place not so far away from the forest ( as howled of the wolves from afar can still be heard by the ears) on a summer night under the watchful Luna’s eyes and the presence of the wind ( as the line “ rustles of the dry leaves suggested) lying on the grass over laid by the other the another made me think that they were not into “sex”, rather they are into a more intimate moment with the presence of love ( love- making as we commonly say it).

Being in-love or being conquered by love only happen once in a blue moon, and when two people are into this state, it is only them who understand the intense of the feelings, that even if they share to others some of their blissful moments, the rest will remain as history that will be for them to keep.

I am so looking forward on your next poesy, Lil Bro. I am enjoying every stroke of your words.

[Sir Joe]

Big sister, before, I knew the interpretation of this poem. Now that I'm faced with different interpretations, I now don't know how to interpret it myself. Hahaha
The piece, indeed, assumes a life of its own.
The meaning of the poem doesn't really depend on the poet but on the readers.
Thank you so much for your impressive reading and interpretation of this poem. =)

[Belle]

If I may borrow Dimalanta's tag line, When I write this poem, it is I and my God know the meaning, but after all the interpretation that you have given, now it is only God who knows the meaning...when we present th epoem to the reader we no longer own them... :)

[Sir Joe]

Indeed!
Thank you for your words, big sister. =)

[Sir Joe]

sex out of lust is nothing compared to sex out of love.

[Belle]

Having sex and making love are totally different... Ah--I can't believe we are talking about it our loud. lol...

[Belle]

*out

[Sir Joe]

hahaha oo nga,,,,Well, as you've said, it's a physiological need and it is a common thing. Doing it should be a private thing, but talking about it is a different case. We can talk about it here, I guess. hahaha

[Pax]

i can't help but intervene here... lol..
Having sex and making love or sex out of lust is nothing compared to sex out of love ~ aren’t they all connected… though we know there are some distance on it… but totally it’s a normal way to release something right…. Smiling… aren’t we all animals…just the higher or top of the food chain in terms of being a mammals…

[Sir Joe]

Ok, I get you Sir Pax. =)
And I agree, on a superficial sense.
But in a philosophical perspective, I think big sister Belle and I are hitting the right note, aren't we?
Sir Pax, I didn't know you love conversing about sex. hahaha Just kidding

[Belle]

OMG! Mas sadista ka ata Paxie.
I think this page is becoming a page of paradox. :)

[Belle]

Or I think I am the only one who is speaking with oxymoron. I remember I just claim that this kind of truth is part of life, in fact it is even part of the human's physiological need so why not talk about it with an open mind. And to remember that malice is only in the mind of the beholder. But now at some point I cannot stand it talking with you guys out loud. lol...Sorry. :( I am at fault...And yes, I must say still, I stand with you Li'l Bro by your conviction that this thing should be done in private. It just show how gentleman you are.

[Pax]

hahaha....but I have talk about this with Maryanne with my poem desperate taking... it talks about: Can be lust, be love?Is desire heading to the road of love? I'm sure remember this well dear belle... Maryannes said: Sex is a natural and instinctive desire of our body.(so I agree) and she also said: love and lust are mutually co-generative and co-existing(and i agree as well)... and my response... is there... you better read it..lol.. but your perspective mr. Joe and ms. Belle... i can relate to it... for i think love is much higher than just sex... right?

[Sir Joe]

hahahaha can I just laugh to respond on this thread?
hahaha

[Sir Joe]

Big sister is just not so used to talking about things like this to guys. hahaha She is, I think, in an awkward moment.
And there goes Paxie, talking outspokenly. hahaha

[Belle]

Now we two have reservations talking this matter, in public... it shows...Paxie, I remember that poem which I have also commented. Now on my way (again) to your poem. :)

[Pax]

lol... wag kanaman mahiya dearly ms. Belle.... its quite natural to talk about love and sex... we are adults here.... i know there are some young ones... but i think its just educational talk... some are philosophical thoughts... me on the other hand just talking literally... :D ~ but i hear you in your reservation on this matter... its show how matured a person is... and i am not... :D quite childish parin..lol

[Sir Joe]

Sir Paxie, I think you're ending up not reviewing this piece but just commenting on this thread hahaha You might be forgetting something hahahaha LOL Just kidding

[Pax]

i know... i know... I'm just really enjoying the coversations... here and there in your reviews...

[jacob erin-cilberto]

there is much passion in this..but done in a tasteful, subtle way...

really like the ending..."the rest, history sites"

sex is natural and sex within the confines of nature...seems even more natural....i have had this experience and found the night sky a kind voyeur, but also one who will not speak of what it's seen.

[Sir Joe]

Thank you, Sir Jacob. =)
I appreciate your words a lot.

[Kenilo Kent]

I like how you begun! It ended on a safe wonerful note.

[Sir Joe]

Thank you. =)

[Monster ^.^]

The use of the Blue Moon is very intriguing. These are rare phenomenons and as your first stanza goes, this is very well injected. It brings a whole new light to the poem, the elements used.
Excellent flow!

[Sir Joe]

Thank you so much, Monster, for taking some time to read and review this poem of mine.