We all know poets love the moon. How many moon poems have been written? Moonlight is so evocative, and the moon herself is constantly changing, a link between ancient myths and modern technology. It’s hard to believe that it’s over 50 years since man first stood on her silvery face!

So, tonight let’s take the moon as inspiration in a slightly different way. I want you to think about the October full moon and take inspiration from the different names it’s been given in different places.

The best known names probably come from the Native American tribal traditions: Travellers Moon, Blackberry Moon. For the Siouan it’s the Gopher Looks Back Moon, and for the Inuit it’s the Ice Moon.

Here in the UK it’s the Hunter’s Moon, but in the States you might well call it the Harvest Moon. For our Celtic ancestors, it would have been the Hunter’s Moon,  Blood Moon or the Seed Fall Moon. In the Ogham calendar, it would be the Moon in Ivy, and for the Chinese it’s the Kindly Moon.

I’ll make a list:

• Traveller’s
• Blackberry
• Gopher Looks Back
• Hunter’s
• Blood
• Seed Fall
• In Ivy
• Kindly

I’d like you to choose one of these moon names, and write a moony poem inspired by it. Here’s a beautiful example:

Hunter’s Moon

by Ansel Elkins

She cannot hide
her line of footprints in the snow.
The trail leads from her window—
across the blank page of winter
field, across the barbed wire
fence and its posted sign that says No
Trespassing, across the night’s
quiet deer path—and ends at his barn door.
At this late hour her only witness
is the private eye of
the moon, which hides
its voluminous histories of human
secrets—hers,

                         and ours, too.
There is nothing between us
but the night. The hunter’s appetite
is instinct; it dwells deep
and urges you: Unleash
the wild animal that you are.
                 Unbury yourself.

So, choose a moon name and write a poem inspired by it. Link it up to Mr Linky, and take a moonlit stroll through other poets’ imaginations.

Mr Linky will be open until 3pm EST on Thursday – that’s 8pm in the UK.

Looking forward to seeing you on the poetry trail!