Photo by Matthew Kane on Unsplash
Monkey Pause
A troop of
young Japanese macaque
frantically chase
evening moon’s reflection
upon hot spring’s surface.
Moonbeams reflect,
refract, fragment, flitter,
fleeing tiny grasping fingers
scattering light
leaving callow plunderers only shivers
for their boundless efforts.
Matriarch and Alpha
observe the scene
sitting in silent stillness
warming, cooing,
grooming one another in the depths
content with the moon above
its countless illusions below
and the crisp air between.
Nothing is obtained
this moment is now
everything is as it is
what should be is trickery; just
moondust eluding monkey paws.
** *
Written for dVerse I Once Used an Earthquake–dVerse MTB: Symbolism, hosted by Victoria Slotto We were encouraged to write a symbolic poem. This one still feels a bit “on the nose”, but meh, I’ll take it.
Go here to read other poet’s contributions to this prompt.
Hephaestus’ Waste & Cosmic Rubble 
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