Those Low-Hanging Moons Poem by Denis Mair

After Harvest Moon comes Hunter's Moon. This is also called Traveler's Moon, because it is time to move our camp to the riverside. Like Brother Bear we want to grow a layer of fat and prepare to pass the winter. In this hectic time our young ones amuse us with their antics, so this month is also called Young Beast Moon.

After that comes Frost Moon; some people call it Scraping-Hides Moon. Our womenfolk are so busy that their hands almost fall off, otherwise we would have nothing to wear and eat.

After that comes Long Nights Moon; some people call it Deer-Sheds-Antlers Moon. At this time even seal pups in their mother's womb are growing fur.

After that comes Snow Sprite Moon. Some people call it Wolf Moon, because the wolf pack comes at night to howl in front of our village. They are telling us it is difficult to find food; they share the same predicament with human beings.

Then comes Shoulders-Touching-around-the-Fire Moon; it is also called Big Snow Moon, and some people call it Hunger Moon. If that is really so, there is nothing we can do but bear the hunger and look forward to springtime.

Then comes Geese-Honking Moon; some people call it Rising-Sap Moon. This is when earthworms become active. They attract robins, and like the robins our young ones run outside and hop about.

Then comes Egg-Laying Moon. Some people call it Phlox Moon, because at this time delicate flowers can be found in the forest's secluded places.

Then comes Strawberry Moon, and some people call it Big Flower Moon. Some people call it Pregnancy Moon, because all kinds of animals know this is the time to be fruitful and multiply.

Then comes Spoiled Fish Moon; some people call it Calla Root Moon, because we dig up lily bulbs to eat. This is the time when wild roses bloom; it is the season when many animals give birth to their young.

Then comes Deer-Grows-Antlers Moon; some people call it Thunder Moon, and some people call it Salmon Moon. This is a time of revelry for our tribes around Puget Sound. It was always a carnivalesque time of fish catching and gift giving, until the white people prohibited our potlatch gatherings.

Then comes Blackberries-Ripen Moon; some people call it Cedar Bark Moon, because we gather cedar bark to make baskets. It is also called Plum Moon, because the plums ripen. There are so many plums we cannot eat them all; they fall on the ground and leave their stains as love does.

Then comes Harvest Moon. This is the biggest, brightest of all the full moons; while first rising it has a yellowish or orangey color. At this time there are more fish than we can eat, so this is a time to relax from our labors and give thanks together with our families.

July 19,2014 in Los Angeles