by Mary Turzillo
The Sun and the Moon
did a courtship dance
did a contrary dance
nearer come nearer
far dance away
till the Sun mocked his luna love
japing “cold, changeable she”
and “you love the earth more than me”
and it’s true: she grew fat, she grew thin,
he was hot, she was cold
Apollo, Diana:
stag and the doe
till she danced right in front of him
close to him, over him
taking delicious gold bites of him
throwing her skirts quite over him
till she blotted him out
til the night crickets sang
the the birds went to sleep
a black handkerchief over the land.
She punched a hole in the sky
where her lover had been
left a necklace of fire, a sparkle of beads
a diamond ring
for a minute or two:
the lovers' bright band
the dusk bridal veil
dark covered light, cold kissed the gold
the ring hung a promise
a wedding of midnight and fire.
Mary Turzillo's Nebula-winner "Mars Is no Place for Children" and her Analog novel An Old-Fashioned Martian Girl were recommended reading on the International Space Station. She has been a finalist on the British SFA, Pushcart, Stoker, Dwarf Stars, and Rhysling ballots. Her poetry collection Lovers & Killers won the 2013 Elgin Award for Best Collection. Her fourth collaboration with Marge Simon, Victims, also won an Elgin. Her latest two books are Cast from Darkness, also with Simon, and Cosmic Cats and Fantastic Furballs. Mary lives in Berea, Ohio, with her scientist-writer husband, Geoffrey Landis. Today’s eclipse is her third such experience.
