Recently, I have fallen in love with the paintings of Esmeralda Raven Aponte. Her painting Flight of the Luna Moth has inspired this poem. She has given me permission to post her work alongside my writing. I hope you like it!

Luna Moth creeps out from the heart of the moon,

It was time to dance to her own gentle tune.

Her wings chime softly as she flies through the night,

They beat soothing rhythms as she weaves left and right.

They are shaped from the tears of a maiden in love,

And drenched with compassion from angels above.

Her voice like the wind sings of sadness and sorrow,

As she hunts for some pain she could steal or could borrow.

The hum of her tongue as she licks the cool air,

Tells where to find those in peril or despair.

The silvery eyes embossed on her wings,

Shows where to look for regrets that life brings.

She seeks out regret to replace with hope,

So those down below will find enough strength to cope.

Hope is harvested from the eye of a storm,

And mixed with dewdrops turns deliciously warm.

Fiery fervour and the silver of snow,

Gives it balance, energy, connection and flow.

Luna Moth farms it, storing safely in her soul,

Easing the pain of regret is her goal.

She glides over River as he lay on his back,

All shimmer and glimmer against inky black.

He waves at her fondly as she flies overhead,

She blows him a kiss from her lips, ruby red.

Ah! A young girl is yearning for a long, lost love,

Sad and dissatisfied, her life’s not enough.

She weeps to the moon, her heart it does bleed,

She cannot fulfil her desperate need.

Red eyes, pale face, she looks to the moon,

She hears in her mind an enchanting tune.

Luna Moth dances a dance of soft tears,

Sending whispers of hope to reduce the girl’s fears.

As the young girl feels hope flow into her veins,

She stretches like sun rays and feels no more pain.

She feels her life force the colour of gold,

As hope in her heart begins to take hold.

Luna Moth works hard taking regrets from the day,

That tried to choke all the happiness away.

She captures them quickly before they turn sour,

Regrets in her sack soon lose their power.

Reduced to breaths so soft and so slight,

She knows what to do to make things just right.

Her sack is now full of regretful sighs,

She flies above clouds to the top of the skies.

She opens her sack and the regrets pour out,

They spread and they seep around and about.

They turn into opals that glitter and glisten,

And, if you fly to the clouds and patiently listen

You might hear the hum of regret and of sorrow,

But you’d feel in your heart there is a better tomorrow.

Luna moth’s work for the night is now done,

She flies to the moon and waits for the sun.

As the sun rises slowly, she creeps back in the moon.

And sleeps safe and sound to her own gentle tune.

© Words by Sarah Bowden