Sarah Anne Wallen

PRAYER POEM TO THE MOON FOR THE OCCASION OF THE EQUINOX OF SPRING

tonight
a super moon

new moon
solar eclipse

on the equinox
of spring

we do our thing
moon ritual

movement
blood to the earth

into the fire and moon
deep at my feet

eternal mother of the black milk
starry cloak over the sky

the eye of it
my milk is black

my sisters
have my back

drink of the black milk
my sisters

we will grow up and bleed
and dream in skin

the moon
draws near

I draw a heart
and in the heart

a star
with dirt

and blood
I eat the mud

I am not myself
in my heart is a star

on my arm is a heart
I bleed

I see the moon
black milk of my skin

the moon shivers
my sisters sing

drink the black 
eternal mother

moon in her dress
cloak

both
I drink from the cup

I give up
half this night

I sacrifice bad thought
my blood 

is a symbol
my blood is 

a prayer
I bleed 

into the cup
the moon draws near

and disappears
an even day

a fair ruling
I call 

to my coven
I conjure a spell

I create new order
I cackle 

at the heavens
I will burn in hell

when I’m dead
I swing my belly

my heavy breasts
I wobble like a demon

my blood is 
in the milk

my milk is 
of the black moon

the moon leaks 
black milk all over me

the moon bleeds
the tears of my sisters

we are slick 
with moon blood

our suffering 
is wild and full

oh great black orb
of the tides

holy celestial ruler 
of blood

great mother 
of my sisters

we drink of the 
still black water

milky with the blood 
of our love

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Sarah Anne Wallen is a poet, caregiver, bookmaker and teacher living in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. She wrote DON’T DRINK POISON (United Artists 2015) and THE CRAFT (Everybody Press 2021). Her poetry has appeared most recently in Hurricane Review, Best American Poetry 2023 and the Brooklyn Rail. She hand-crafts occasional small runs of poetry books as Third Floor Apartment Press. She does this, she does that. It’s all the same day.