Blue Moon in Springtime! :)

Hello everyone –

On Saturday, March 31^st, skywatchers around the world will be watching a celestial rarity – a full Blue Moon, the second Blue Moon of 2018! (The first one was on January 31^st.) It’s extremely rare for a calendar year to contain two Blue Moons; this last happened in 1999 and won’t occur again until 2037. And BTW, the next Blue Moon won’t happen until Halloween Night – October 31^st, 2020! (I predict that werewolf costumes will be very popular at that time!) :)

So just what is a Blue Moon? It’s the second Full Moon in a calendar month – a phenomenon that happens only once every 2-1/2 years or so (hence the expression, “Once in a Blue Moon”). The Moon won’t actually appear blue in the sky this weekend – but that’s OK – it will still be bright and beautiful, like every other Full Moon that I’ve ever seen.

To celebrate this auspicious occasion, and the arrival of the springtime (at long last!), here are three poems by Evaleen Stein (1863-1923), my favorite Midwestern poet!

“Faeries”

By Evaleen Stein
 

Grandfather says that sometimes,
When stars are twinkling and
A New Moon shines, there come times
When folks see faery-land!

So when there’s next a New Moon,
I mean to watch all night!
Grandfather says a Blue Moon
Is best for faery light,

And in a peach-bloom, maybe,
If I look I shall see
A little faery baby
No bigger than a bee!

“Budding-Time Too Brief”

By Evaleen Stein

O little buds, break not so fast!

  The spring’s but new.

  The skies will yet be brighter blue,

  And sunny too.

I would you might thus sweetly last       

Till this glad season’s overpast,

  Nor hasten through.

It is so exquisite to feel

  The light warm sun;

  To merely know the winter done,       

  And life begun;

And to my heart no blooms appeal

For tenderness so deep and real,

  As any one

Of these first April buds, that hold       

  The hint of spring’s

  Rare perfectness that May-time brings.

  So take not wings!

Oh, linger, linger, nor unfold

Too swiftly though the mellow mould,       

  Sweet growing things!

And errant birds, and honey-bees,

  Seek not to wile;

  And, Sun, let not your warmest smile

  Quite yet beguile     

The young peach-boughs and apple-trees

To trust their beauty to the breeze;

  Wait yet awhile!

“Up, Little Ones!”

by Evaleen Stein

A robin redbreast, fluting there
Upon the apple-bough,
Is telling all the world how fair
Are apple-blossoms now;
The honey-dew its sweetness spills
From cuckoo-cups, and all
The crocuses and daffodils
Are drest for festival!

Such pretty things are to be seen,
Such pleasant things to do,
The April earth it is so green,
The April sky so blue,
The path from dawn to even-song
So joyous is to-day,
Up, little ones! and dance along
The lilac-scented way!

Happy springtime holidays! :)

Rob