Moongate
John Muro
It’s the ill-fated hour when day’s ending
and the moon has run its course, having
trundled across the felt of heaven, unable
to retrace its steps, like a nine ball in billiards
that has come to rest, grave-side silent,
just before tumbling into the deep side-
pocket of emptiness, and I can discern
its skull-cap pulled tightly across its crown
and its flushed cheeks of Scotch-broom
yellow as it nears the end of its heedless
descent, cleaving branches, abandoning
stars and pouring light upon the harbor’s
drowsy waters leaving little else to consider
but its certain deadfall and grievous ending.
Twice nominated for the Pushcart Prize and, more recently, for the Best of the Net Award, John Muro is a resident of Connecticut, a graduate of Trinity College and a lover of all things chocolate. He has published two volumes of poems – In the Lilac Hour and Pastoral Suite – in 2020 and 2022, respectively. Both books were published by Antrim House, and both are available on Amazon. John’s poems have appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies since 2020, including Acumen, Barnstorm, Euphony, Grey Sparrow, Moria, Sky Island and the Valparaiso Review. Instagram @johntmuro.