Sister (Moon)

The late heavy bombardment,
and what thanks did you get?
A pock-marked face
and a night light.

We've trodden on you,
swam in your seas
(with machines, in dreams,
down your estuaries).

The Sea of Tranquility -
o! what humility!
A thousand wonders
all begun in pain,
but when do we look up?
When do we crane?

A milkbottle top,
a smooth, pale rock,
the puller of seas,
self-luminous cheese,
the huntress Diana -
but we threw the spanner.

Sod the wonder,
come the blunder;
great sister of night,
we forgot you, all right.

The stars could outshine you,
the Sun could outline you,
its corona like fingers
caressing your back.

White bride of night,
as you wait at the altar
do you sing to the stars,
sing in light?
Or do you mourn the black?