The Penelope Review

for GPG–
an Angel of the Arts

Born into the valley of the blue moon
nestled between twin orbs that illumined
the gloaming of December’s sky—

Shangri-La was there,
the crook of mother’s arm
breath singing against her breast,
cradled ears attuned to first paradise

you carried her song
through years of days,
diapasons of memory
finding their voice in your own

you silkspun beauty,
worlds of words weaving
staves and stages
eclosing like wings from
their chrysalids

as you set farther forth,
a red haired lass became home
and a hearth in the widening
world where together you
crafted a plenteous life—
of brushstrokes and bowings,
of mortar and bones,
and travels and tales,
as you lifted the world abreast

she was claimed by the clouds
too soon to defend—
but you sing to her still as you
listen through nights to her
answers in dusk and dew,
in pauses and pulse which
dance through your fingers
again on the pages
all gathered in reach

you’ve gathered us too,
this family of song
in all we’ve created
and all we have lost—
your green irises lifting
to hold us in light,
December’s twin orbs
presiding over our
revels and sorrows—
 
and when our time is gone,
your voice will ring still through
that long lost horizon
where you’ll sit by her side
as we sing your stories
back into the world—
and in the company of clouds
we will hear ourselves
together
as angels

The term blue moon refers to the second full moon in a month with two full moons, which occurs only once every several years. December 1933 saw two full moons, flanking the 20th of the month. “Valley of the Blue Moon” is the fictional location of the paradisical Shangri-La of James Hilton’s novel “Lost Horizon,” which also made its appearance in 1933.

Lisa Delan‘s poetry has been featured in a broad range of literary publications, and she has received two Pushcart Prize nominations. When she is not writing, you can find the soprano, an international performer who records for the Pentatone label, singing songs on texts by some of her favorite poets.