1. Home
  2. Discover
  3. Lifestyle
  4. Poem-a-Day

Poem-a-Day - "Length of Moon" by Arna Bontemps

Poem-a-Day is reader-supported. Your gift today will help the Academy of American Poets continue to publish the work of 260 poets each year, and share this series with 300,000 readers every day.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
February 12, 2022 

Length of Moon
Arna Bontemps

Then the golden hour
Will tick its last
And the flame will go down in the flower.

A briefer length of moon
Will mark the sea-line and the yellow dune.

Then we may think of this, yet
There will be something forgotten
And something we should forget.

It will be like all things we know: 
A stone will fail; a rose is sure to go.

It will be quiet then and we may stay
Long at the picket gate,—
But there will be less to say.

This poem is in the public domain. Published in Poem-a-Day on February 12, 2022, by the Academy of American Poets.

Subscribe to the Poem-a-Day Podcast 

  

“Length of Moon” appeared in Fire!! (November, 1926).
Arna Bontemps was a poet, novelist, children’s author, editor, historian, and librarian affiliated with the Harlem Renaissance movement. The author of multiple books, including Black Thunder (Macmillan, 1936), and the editor of American Negro Poetry (Hill & Wang, 1963), among other anthologies, he was the recipient of two Guggenheim Fellowships. He died on June 4, 1973.
“Harvest Moon” by George Marion McClellan
read more
“Evening Song” by Sherwood Anderson
read more

Thanks to John Murillo, author of Kontemporary Amerikan Poetry (Four Way Books, 2020), who curated Poem-a-Day for this month’s weekdays. Listen to a Q&A about Murillo’s curatorial approach and find out more about our guest editors for the year.
This free, daily series is made possible by our readers. If you’re able, please consider donating to support this work. 
Become a monthly sustainer
join
Make a one-time gift
donate
Copyright © 2022 The Academy of American Poets, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website.

Our mailing address is:
The Academy of American Poets
75 Maiden Lane
St #901
New York, NY 10038

Add us to your address book


View this email in your browser

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Older messages

"[The whale already]" by Kimiko Hahn

Friday, February 11, 2022

What is endangered, the / rest of us ignore. Facebook Twitter Instagram Support Poem-a-Day February 11, 2022 [The whale already] Kimiko Hahn a golden shovel The whale already taken got away: the moon

Join Us for the 2022 Blaney Lecture with Paisley Rekdal

Thursday, February 10, 2022

On February 23, 2022, join us for the annual lecture on contemporary poetry and poetics Paisley Rekdal (Image) Join us on Wednesday, February 23, at 4 pm PST / 7 pm EST for the 2022 Blaney Lecture, “

"Revisionary" by Robert Pinsky

Thursday, February 10, 2022

The globe on a tilted axis means The News. Facebook Twitter Instagram Support Poem-a-Day February 10, 2022 Revisionary Robert Pinsky The globe on a tilted axis means The News. As the icon spins the

"Wake Up, Mario" by Martín Espada

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

They watched him from the window of the house, Facebook Twitter Instagram Support Poem-a-Day February 9, 2022 Wake Up, Mario Martín Espada For Mario Gonzalez Arenales (1994-2021) He's not doing

Poems for Valentine's Day and more

Tuesday, February 8, 2022

Support Poets.org February 8, 2022 Valentine's Day Read and share these poems with your beloved chosen ones this upcoming Valentine's Day: “Sink Your Fingers into the Darkness of my Fur” by

You Might Also Like

New and Old #187

Friday, November 8, 2024

Friday roundup and commentary ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

Charting a New Path: Transforming My Tarot Newsletter Journey

Friday, November 8, 2024

I am finding a good direction for this newsletter, finally. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

Don’t let your dreams give up on you

Friday, November 8, 2024

10 things worth sharing this week ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

Why Dobbs Didn't Deliver a Win for Democrats

Friday, November 8, 2024

Running against GOP abortion bans had been the Dems secret weapon ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

This 2-year-old is all of us

Friday, November 8, 2024

— Check out what we Skimm'd for you today November 8, 2024 Subscribe Read in browser But first: what our founders are gifting for the holidays Update location or View forecast Quote of the Day “The

"the cherry end of your cigarette against the pale sky" by Levi Romero

Friday, November 8, 2024

outside the prickling air burned hot / against what we'd left behind Facebook Twitter Instagram Support Poem-a-Day November 8, 2024 the cherry end of your cigarette against the pale sky Levi Romero

DO Wales 2024 Talks are live

Friday, November 8, 2024

They are special. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

Magnanimous dictators

Friday, November 8, 2024

It's 1972 and Ennio Flaiano knows he's going to die. He gets his affairs and journals in order and makes one final entry. It's about - of all things - beloved dictators. It's about how

Victoria Beckham & Daughter Harper Wore The Prettiest Matching Looks On The Red Carpet

Friday, November 8, 2024

Like mother like daughter. The Zoe Report Daily The Zoe Report 11.7.2024 Victoria Beckham & Daughter Harper Wore The Prettiest Matching Looks On The Red Carpet (Celebrity) Victoria Beckham &

The Best 7-Minute Workouts

Friday, November 8, 2024

Mens Health Shop logo Torch fat and build muscle in 7 minutes The most efficient exercises for weight loss - Men's Health 7-Minute Workouts for Fat Burn Are you tough enough to handle these 7-