Red Sturgeon Moon
—Poetry by Devin Rogan, N. Carolina
—Photos Courtesy of Public Domain
YOU WON’T BELIEVE THIS STORY BUT
YOU WILL FEEL SOMETHING FROM IT
is this the part of the story when the hero
(me being the hero obviously)
discovers his hidden talent?
if not please be patient with me
and that can be your talent
which is the most useful of all
because so rarely is our most useful skill
speed-based in nature
but rather
given to us so we can endure the impossibility
of perfection
YOU WILL FEEL SOMETHING FROM IT
is this the part of the story when the hero
(me being the hero obviously)
discovers his hidden talent?
if not please be patient with me
and that can be your talent
which is the most useful of all
because so rarely is our most useful skill
speed-based in nature
but rather
given to us so we can endure the impossibility
of perfection
I’M HAVING A LOT OF FEELINGS AND
THEY ARE ALL MOON-BASED FEELINGS
lazing on the moon
procrastinating on the moon
being beautiful on the moon
looking at Saturn’s rings
feeling for Saturn
empathizing with the moon
the moon is just the moon
it is lonely too, on the moon
you imagine being home
not on the moon at all
could you love on the moon?
could you learn to love the moon?
you thought it would be different here on the moon
feeling the humanness of everyone not on the moon
they, like you, are alone sometimes
they, like you, are yearning sometimes
you hold your little ideas and big ideas on the moon
you think you may break them
you know they are only thoughts
to the moon you may as well just be a thought
you gaze at Saturn, and realize it is also alone
how could you have known, one day, you’d be on the moon?
when you were earthbound and uncertain
this poem takes place on the moon
but you are not on the moon in real life
but you can feel like that, sometimes
and not other times
THEY ARE ALL MOON-BASED FEELINGS
lazing on the moon
procrastinating on the moon
being beautiful on the moon
looking at Saturn’s rings
feeling for Saturn
empathizing with the moon
the moon is just the moon
it is lonely too, on the moon
you imagine being home
not on the moon at all
could you love on the moon?
could you learn to love the moon?
you thought it would be different here on the moon
feeling the humanness of everyone not on the moon
they, like you, are alone sometimes
they, like you, are yearning sometimes
you hold your little ideas and big ideas on the moon
you think you may break them
you know they are only thoughts
to the moon you may as well just be a thought
you gaze at Saturn, and realize it is also alone
how could you have known, one day, you’d be on the moon?
when you were earthbound and uncertain
this poem takes place on the moon
but you are not on the moon in real life
but you can feel like that, sometimes
and not other times
LEARNING THIS BIRD WAS A RED ROBIN
THROUGH GOOGLE IMAGES
what is the name for this feeling
when you’re quiet and nodding because
you texted me your thoughts?
I’m moved by the idea of you just doing you, you know?
wild-crazy that you were born just
to be reading a PDF of quotes from Goethe at 1PM
on this planet? in this economy?
I sigh alone in the hotel
thereby becoming the type of person that sighs when alone in a hotel
THROUGH GOOGLE IMAGES
what is the name for this feeling
when you’re quiet and nodding because
you texted me your thoughts?
I’m moved by the idea of you just doing you, you know?
wild-crazy that you were born just
to be reading a PDF of quotes from Goethe at 1PM
on this planet? in this economy?
I sigh alone in the hotel
thereby becoming the type of person that sighs when alone in a hotel
CHECKING THE WEATHER APP
DURING A THUNDERSTORM
this is not what I had planned
being this benign and honest even
we can discuss this in person maybe
and reach a satisfying conclusion
I want to know everything you have to say—
astonished at how you inhabit a body
like I inhabit a body
are you able to wield these limbs too?
to rely upon yourself to navigate nervously?
to be the dumbest person on the planet?
to be happy?
you’ve got to be joking because
nothing true could be so funny that it breaks my heart
_______________________
Today’s LittleNip:
RECALLING THIS ONE SENSATION FROM
DECEMBER 31ST THAT WAS IMPORTANT
—Devin Rogan
the 30 hand muscles you extend
to say hi, I’m this person
that retroactively you will know
humbled by time rather than
made stubborn
to learn joy from
LA traffic means
the future and history are
not different to me anymore
you don’t trust yourself as much as I trust myself
and that’s not even that much
but it is enough for me, some days
_______________________
Our new visitor today is Devin Rogan from North Carolina. Devin is the author of a novel, Habit (www.amazon.com/Habit-Devin-Rogan-ebook/dp/B09YPJFK4C/). Welcome to the Kitchen, Devin, and don’t be a stranger!
_______________________
—Medusa
DURING A THUNDERSTORM
this is not what I had planned
being this benign and honest even
we can discuss this in person maybe
and reach a satisfying conclusion
I want to know everything you have to say—
astonished at how you inhabit a body
like I inhabit a body
are you able to wield these limbs too?
to rely upon yourself to navigate nervously?
to be the dumbest person on the planet?
to be happy?
you’ve got to be joking because
nothing true could be so funny that it breaks my heart
_______________________
Today’s LittleNip:
RECALLING THIS ONE SENSATION FROM
DECEMBER 31ST THAT WAS IMPORTANT
—Devin Rogan
the 30 hand muscles you extend
to say hi, I’m this person
that retroactively you will know
humbled by time rather than
made stubborn
to learn joy from
LA traffic means
the future and history are
not different to me anymore
you don’t trust yourself as much as I trust myself
and that’s not even that much
but it is enough for me, some days
_______________________
Our new visitor today is Devin Rogan from North Carolina. Devin is the author of a novel, Habit (www.amazon.com/Habit-Devin-Rogan-ebook/dp/B09YPJFK4C/). Welcome to the Kitchen, Devin, and don’t be a stranger!
_______________________
—Medusa
Sturgeon Moon
To see why Devin is having
To see why Devin is having
all these moon feelings, go to
for the meaning of “Sturgeon Moon”.
For upcoming poetry happenings in
Northern California and otherwheres,
click on
UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS
in the links at the top of this page.
Photos in this column can be enlarged by
clicking on them once, then clicking on the x
in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
Would you like to be a SnakePal?
All you have to do is send poetry and/or
photos and artwork to
kathykieth@hotmail.com. We post
work from all over the world—including
that which was previously published—
and collaborations are welcome.
Just remember:
the snakes of Medusa are always hungry—
for poetry, of course!
Northern California and otherwheres,
click on
UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS
in the links at the top of this page.
Photos in this column can be enlarged by
clicking on them once, then clicking on the x
in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
Would you like to be a SnakePal?
All you have to do is send poetry and/or
photos and artwork to
kathykieth@hotmail.com. We post
work from all over the world—including
that which was previously published—
and collaborations are welcome.
Just remember:
the snakes of Medusa are always hungry—
for poetry, of course!
