The Lady in the Moon

I see a red moon on the rise

Triple the normal full size

I could see ever so much more

It was closer than the night before

I watch as Luna’s Lady appears

With long hair brushed behind her ears

Her silver mirror shines bright

As it redirects the reflected sun’s light

Pulling off to the roadside

Wondering for a moment if I should hide

For I’ve no shame when I say I felt fear

But instead, I froze as if I were a deer

🔴

Up and down the street, I looked all about

To see if anyone else was out

People are out all around the town

Wondering what was going down

The neighborhood dogs started howling

The alley cats began yowling

Not moving, we didn’t know what to do

Ol’ Dave took off running and lost a shoe

Chaos soon settled in

The Lady smiled at the din

Looking from side to side

She spread Her arms wide

🔴

A hush fell as she began to speak

“By the dark of the moon, the one I seek

Shall arise, and walk forth

Into the world, bearing nothing of worth

The birthmark he bears

My quest’s map, if he dares

Finding that which I lost

Never asking about the cost

Alone, each peril he must face

Meeting back in this place

Returning to me

Moonstones three”

🔴

As she talked, a glow came to her eyes

And the engorged moon began to rise

Her voice faded with the sphere

The night sky became clear

The coming of the morning’s sun

Brought murmurs from everyone

With stares all around

They hoped the crusader could be found

Whispering amongst themselves

They agreed it was time to pray to the Twelves

To the temples they turned

They had some incense to be burned

🔴

Seven days and seven nights, they prayed

Prostrated before the Gods, they laid

Begging for enlightenment

Wary of the new environment

Sceptically, every visible birthmark is perused

Witches magic used

Each ritual showed nothing new

Just a figure in hazy blue

No hint, no clue

Not even to the type or color of the shoe

The mystery deepened by the day

Birthmarks were checked, but no one could see a way

🔴

The day started off raining

The crescent moon was waning

Mikael was busy eating seafood tacos at Don Juan’s

Joining him for lunch was his girlfriend, Faun

A day full of fun, he had planned

Ending with a concert for their favorite band

A burning began in his inner thigh

Faun let out a sigh

All around, the talk was about the moon

Mikael was going to need to use the restroom soon

The burning turned to a fiery itch

His upper leg felt like it was covered in pitch

🔴

I watched as he jumped from his table

I felt as if I had entered a fable

Limping, Mikael ran past my group

The reporter in me told me to go snoop

So, my tiramisu, I swiftly swallowed

Excusing myself, I quickly followed

Past the lady dressed like a shitike mushroom

Opening the door to the men’s room

Startled to see Mikael with his pants on the floor

I rapidly closed and locked the door

The boy was starting to glow

Everything began moving in slo-mo

🔴

With tears in his eyes, he looked up at me

“Why’s it hurt all the way to my knee?”

I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the lad

Knelt by his side, what I saw almost drove me mad

The skin of his thigh looked white-hot

Lines and dashes appeared, like someone was playing dot-to-dot

Grabbing a handful of paper towels, I went to the basin

My intention, to make a cooling towel to drape his leg in

The room was filled with an incandescent blaze

The flash settled into a murky haze

Mikael’s tears slowed down

Looking at his leg, I started to frown

🔴

A shape that I should know

Had started to show

Looking the lad in the eye

I knew the time wasn’t to lie

“Mikael, you’ve never been a zero

Now it seems you're the Lady’s Hero

No time to dawdle, make haste

No time for goodbyes, no time to waste.”

We went out the door

He looked towards the dining room floor

Giving him a push, I told him to go

Then I watched as he climbed into a beat-up Volvo

As the young man left for his quest

Keeping my mouth shut, I thought, was for the best

As I listened to the folks about town

Wonder if the quester had been found

The answer I kept to myself, as I walked home

I was in a hurry to check an old tome

My memory stirred, tickled by that map

Entering my door, I hung up my scally cap

In the library was the book I sought

An antique just recently bought

A gilted leather embossed cover

A perfect gift for a bibliophile lover

🔴

Carefully, ever so gently, I opened the pages

Each one filled with the knowledge of the ages

Towards the center of the volume was the sketch

The words beside it had once seemed to me far-fetched

Now, as I re-read

I was filled with dread

A new understanding was blooming

For a new era was looming

Highlighted letters marked the next steps

With each of Mikael’s footsteps

I was in awe as the words translated before my eyes

Into ones I could recognize

🔴

“After Selene appears to the world

And Her challenge has been hurled

A hero shall rise and begin his lone quest for three

Unaware of a clairvoyant scribe with the ability to see

From the first obstacle to the last

Each of them, Her champion, must make it past

Through the aid of a hooded crow

To find the stone trio

Rescuing the treasure

He’ll prove his measure

Not once will he falter

Bringing those gems to the Lady’s altar.”

🔴

So, as the words unscrambled, I watched

The amazement I felt couldn’t be matched

As the days wore on, the adventurer marched

Unable to move, I didn’t get up when I grew parched

Dots on the map connected, showing completed trials

With each test, Mikael covered more miles

Facing monsters unknown

While he’s looking for each moon stone

I sit at home, watching anxiously on

Praying the lad would make it to each dawn

Surprised when each hurdle was cleared

And the monsters of the map disappeared

🔴

The rooster-headed man, with the tiger’s tail

Was no match, for the boy did prevail

When he stood before the winged man-faced bear

The creature was taken down without a care

But it was the last, a scorpion-tailed armored gecko

That things seemed to begin to move in slo-mo

The lizard grew with each blow

Mikael figured out what to do, though

For soon the reptile exploded

This book's secrets were now decoded

Now that the quest’s ending had drawn near

It wouldn’t be long, and the Lady would appear

🔴

The full moon returned, just as red as before

With each passing hour, growing more and more

Folks came out of their houses, curious to see

What the outcome was going to be

A crowd had gathered, each waiting for the end

I was the only one who knew about our friend

With little doubt of Mikael’s success

I waited for the Lady’s address

Soon, everything was in place

And turning, the lunar Goddess showed Her face

As she looked over the crowd, they quietened down

Looking for someone, she began to frown

🔴

“Where is my hero? Has he not returned?” she inquired

“The trials must be completed. His time has now expired.”

As the moon’s Lady spoke, a commotion stirred up

The lad had returned, but he was changed, more grown-up

Missing his shoes, his clothes were tattered and burned,

He walked forward with such presence that every head turned

Reverently, Mikael made his procession to the Lady Selene

Standing before Her, he said, “My Queen”

Bowing, he held out the three precious gems

Two groups in the crowd began singing different hymns

“Rise, adventurer, and claim the title you have earned.”

Taking his hand, She continued, “Soon, having all you yearned.”

🔴

With a wave of her hand, she embedded the opalistic stones

Creating a complementary diadem in glowing tones

The twin to Her coronet, She held it out for the hero to take

Smiling, She began, “With this crown, a king I do make.”

Continuing, “Rise, Endymion, My consort.”

Finishing, “Come live and rule with Me in My court.”

Together, the lunar Duo rose with the red moon

I knew I had to write the tale of this soon

But I stood my ground, watching until They were out of sight

Before stepping into the place that is mine by right

I am the writer, the scribe

I am the recorder of deeds for our tribe