"The Moon, Sun, Ocean, and Sky" by Meredith Mulvany

The Moon sings-lilting lullabies and softened chimes
She lazes and gorges on starlight
She giggles and runs her fingertips across the reeds
Lightning bugs swarm, kissing her skin
She reaches and rouses the Ocean, hidden from the Sun for a moment

The Ocean bellows-shifting shanties and operatic sonnets
She rolls and wastes on shipwrecks
She cackles and pounds her fists on cliffsides
Sailors quake and shiver, scrambling away from her reach
She hollers and throws mist to the Skies, offering to her friend

The Sky hums-electric melodies and purred laments
He runs and twirls through the wind
He grins and breathes through the meadows
Finches swirl round him, brushing across his feet
He whispers and alerts the Sun, time to rise

The Sun screams-searing rock and molten ballads
He shambles and drinks up ash
He roars and rakes his claws along the earth
Smoke curls round his arms, biting his flesh
He snatches the Moon’s hand, kissing her quick while he can

The Moon wipes her lips of his touch after sending him off to sleep and turns,
She ushers the Ocean’s body to hers in a writhing tango
Guarded by the Sky till the morn-they dance
They dip, dive, spin, and roll against each other for hours
Their lips dance too-crooning a familiar hymn just for them

Meredith Mulvany is a Senior in Theatre and Comm at Waldorf University. Despite not being a writing major, she loves to write stories and poetry in her free time, especially exploring human morality and theological interpretation. She's honored to be accepted into the Lit Review for a fourth time.