The Man on the Moon

Source: Le Voyage dans la Lune

I killed the Man on the Moon,

Because he was watching me.

Because he had big old eyes,

Attached to his big old brain,

And because of how far he could see.

He knew many things,

My thoughts and my dreams,

And wrote them all down in his book.

"Sinner beware,"

Said he from up there,

"To know you I need only to look."

This sinner took note,

This sinner looked back,

Straight out to the Man on the Moon.

"Old man you beware,"

Replied sinner from there,

"You saw me and now I see you.

"I see with my eyes,

Attached to my brain,

And see that I frighten you.

"You live far up there,

Stuck fast out of fear,

And now I see why you do what you do."

He saw my thoughts still,

My intention to kill.

I went to the moon,

Not a moment too soon,

And I took away his book.

The moon shook.

Look.

I now am the Man on the Moon.





Have some author's notes, then!

I wrote the first draft of this poem during Dead Week of the Spring 2014 semester. As with almost all of my writing in the past year, this piece has the narrator doing battle with a god-entity that they eventually identify with. Says something about me, doesn't it?

So the ultimate message of this poem: you're your own harshest critic. You can never be good enough in your own eyes. The Man on the Moon never goes away. Understand that and maybe you'll have an easier time. Accept your perpetual mediocrity. Go moongazing. Happy January, everyone!