moon rap

The symbol of the moon gazing hare is almost universal meaning fertility and dates back to ancient times. The hare is always an attribute of lunar deities. The moon-gazing hare was especially important to early Britons. In nature hares can be seen and in ancient times often seen in this "moon gazing" pose. Chinese moon gazing hares were thought of as gazing up at what he sees as his ancient ancestor, the Moon rabbit in the moon.

In the black furror of a field

I saw an old witch-hare this night;

And she cocked a lissome ear,

And she eyed the moon so bright,

And she nibbled of the green;

And I whispered "Whsst! witch-hare,"

Away like a ghostie o’er the field

She fled, and left the moonlight there.

Walter de la Mare

Still working with my personal name choice for the current moon, which is SEED MOON. (Previously EGG MOON.) However, we're into May and the choice from Old English will be HARE MOON. However, SEED MOON will not slim to zero until the DARK OF MOON on May 20th - for 3x24 hour periods. After this we will have a new incarnation. So, the HARE MOON cycle is just for a few days in late May. The problem is, during most of May we have SEED MOON fizzling out from last month (April). What to do?

even up a hill

the Seed Moon is hidden—

rain on soil

    1. Choose to stay loyal to the cycle = SEED MOON (from April).

    2. Choose to go by the month (May) = HARE MOON.

    3. Not worry and simply choose a ready to hand name.

even up a hill

the Hare Moon is hidden—

rain on glasses

-

even up a hill

the Hare Moon is hidden—

rain on glass

Furthermore, technically any moon's name is only for THE FULL MOON. One night. So, I've precociously decreed that if we omit capitalising 'the' (or simply drop it), unless it is THE FULL MOON, we can use our *moon name of choice* to designate the whole of the lunation period in question - whichever route we take -- as listed above.

Places to research moon names from different cultures are linked here (bookmark for reference) :

All this is about *seasonal reference* when we do haiku. What am I going to do about the moon title choice for May? We'll see, but MILK MOON (English) is interesting:

even up a hill

the Milk Moon is hidden—

pouring rain

To further confound our brain cell, there are two distinct versions of the calendar, here in rainy Albion. The ancient Celtic ritual reckoner and the modern civil seasonal schedule. Check these for a brief overview: intro / infographic

—

NOTE

There is a simple distinction which may be drawn between a daily moon and The Full Moon of any given lunation cycle. To indicate that one maximum opposition of moon and sun: THE (definite article). To indicate all the other lunation period moons: A (indefinite article).

/

the small herd sleeps,

all facing a Barley Moon-

but one

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

cres·cent/ˈkresənt/

Noun:

Adjective:

Synonyms:

The curved sickle shape of the waxing or waning moon.

In the shape of a crescent: "a crescent moon".

noun. half-moon

adjective. growing - rising

Google

26-08-12

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March hare

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