I have been privileged to be Julie's editor for both Full Worm Moon, and her previous collection, Particular Scandals, both of which are part of the Poiema Poetry Series (Cascade Books). I am also pleased to have included her poems in both of my recent anthologies — The Turning Aside, and Adam, Eve, & the Riders of the Apocalypse. All of these books are available through Wipf & Stock.
Anya Krugovoy Silver reflects on this new collection: “‘What if the beautiful day is over?’ wonders Julie Moore in her shattering new collection, Full Worm Moon. And indeed, poems about the end of a marriage wring the reader. . . Amidst the world’s disarray, Moore’s playful wit and exultant language ultimately proclaim the persistence of tenderness, peace, and love.”
The following poem is from Full Worm Moon.
Compline
St. Meinrad Archabbey
Forgive me my faults, my faults, my grievous faults,
she recites with the Benedictines preparing
for evening’s darkening shroud—
her husband’s figure standing erect
in her memory, his finger pointing at her,
threatening her, his once-sure vows
now dead, their hazy specters
prowling the hallways of her heart,
their long fingernails raking its walls.
While she chants—words, just words,
& barely sung—the Lord’s Prayer
stumbles onto her tongue: forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Not even an hour, nor is it sweet,
this prayer that arrests her,
exorcising the ghosts of promises past,
their furious, furious haunting.
Posted with permission of the poet.
*This is the second Kingdom Poets post about Julie L. Moore: first post.
Entry written by D.S. Martin. His latest poetry collection is Ampersand (2018, Cascade). His books are available through Amazon, and Wipf & Stock, including the anthologies The Turning Aside, and Adam, Eve, & the Riders of the Apocalypse.
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