Draft in the author’s style. This poem was written for Poet of Rain & Harvest to sit beside the author’s own readings, and is waiting for the author’s review. The commentary is a working draft too.
When the harvest moon rose over the barn like a lantern in the sky,
The village lit its bonfires, and the fiddlers tuned nearby.
The reapers left their sickles, and the maidens left their looms,
And they gathered on the meadow under the moon's silver plumes.
The dance began with laughter and a stomping of the feet,
And the dust rose up in circles from the flattened wheat.
The old ones clapped the rhythm, and the young ones whirled around,
And the fiddle sang of harvests with a warm and joyful sound.
They danced away the labour and the aching of the year,
For the barns were full of plenty, and the winter was not near.
And the moon looked down and smiled at the merry, swirling throng,
For the earth had given plenty, and the people gave a song.
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Commentary
When the barns are full, the village dances. This poem gives the harvest moon a leading role in a night of music, fire and thanks.
“The harvest moon rose over the barn like a lantern in the sky,” and “the village lit its bonfires.” Workers leave “their sickles” and “their looms” and gather “under the moon’s silver plumes.” The dance starts with “a stomping of the feet,” and dust rises “from the flattened wheat.”
The old “clapped the rhythm” while the young whirl, and the fiddle sings “of harvests.” The people “danced away the labour and the aching of the year,” for “the barns were full of plenty.” At last “the earth had given plenty, and the people gave a song.”