Autumn! The days are cooler, the nights are longer, and the imagination can stretch all the way to the moon. (Image via Wikimedia Commons)
Sunday night is Fifteenth Night in Japan. It’s not a national holiday—that was the Autumn Equinox last week. But many people all over Asia will stop and try to catch a glimpse of the harvest moon.
If the night is fine, I will make a cup of tea, and try to catch the full moon in my cup. Then, I’ll try to catch the moment in a haiku.
My English haiku
Are clumsy things compared to
The moon’s beauty.
But I’ll try anyway. Sometimes, I don’t make it, and the full moon catches me by surprise, like last year.
Driving home tonight,
My parking lights are blinking.
Stopped by a gold moon.
By the time I got home, clouds had covered the sky, and my last glance at the moon was a golden globe, hanging in the blue sky you get about 30 minutes before sunset, over the freshly tilled autumn fields.
Japanese kids are trained to have a special fondness for all of the seasons, but it seems to me that fall has the most nicknames. They call it Foodie Autumn, and Arts and Crafts Autumn, and one of my favorites, Reading Autumn. After all the busy-ness of summer, it’s nice to sit down and reflect before we go into the hibernation of winter. The longer nights give us a chance to sit down and relax.
How about you? It’s a little early, but would you like to give haiku a try? This link from Wikipedia is a good refresher course. (-: And of course, limericks will not be turned away, either.
Eight Ladies Writing 
I’m not much of a hand at haiku, but I love the idea of taking a pause to appreciate the change of season. I’ve never tried to catch the moon in a cup either, but now I’ll have to give it a go. Then what do you do? Make a wish?
Here’s my attempt:
Summer’s sun has set.
Gold in the night sky heralds
Season of darkness.
Ooooh! Pretty.
Actually, I guess catching the moon in a cup is its own reward. Bonus poetic license points if you notice it’s in there and you didn’t even try.
We’re supposed to get a super-moon with a full eclipse tomorrow night. Crossing my fingers the clouds clear off so I can see it. THEN, maybe, I’ll try a haiku.
We had a thunderstorm at sunset! But by 6 p.m., the moon was silver and bright, and some other stars were out. Fickle autumn weather. I was very glad to see the moon, though, and after dinner, I’ll try again.
I’m too tired and brain dead to even attempt a haiku, but just wanted to say that how much I liked both of yours. Full super-moon is terrific here too tonight.
The moon is such a romantic icon . . . I suppose it’s a little cliche to put it in a novel these days. But I can’t help trying to catch a glimpse.
With the longer nights ahead, I hope you can catch up on your sleep! I know going to bed early is on my agenda. The sun sets before six these days, so there will be plenty of time for supper and moonviewing.
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