I’ve been feeling moony lately.
It started with my “’round the moonlit town” poem from last week. Then I got my pal Iza Trapani’s beautifully illustrated Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star in the mail (co-starring the moon), then my little Lorenzo rediscovered his formerly favorite bedtime book I Took the Moon for a Walk, which I reviewed a few months ago, and then there was this gorgeous halo moon the other night when I arrived at chorus rehearsal. I pointed it out to a couple of people, but no one paid it any attention. I don’t get that. How can you not be seduced by the beauty of the moon, even for the thousandth time? That moon is a smooth operator, if you ask me.
So today I’m sharing a little bedtime ditty I wrote for the book Lizard Lou, called “When the Moon Is There,” recited to a chorus of cicadas. Do you suppose there are cicadas on the moon?
WHEN THE MOON IS THERE
When the moon is there,
at half past six tonight,
we’ll sit out in the garden
to watch the fading light.
And when the moon is there,
we’ll have a bite to eat;
a slice of bread, a glass of milk,
and maybe something sweet.
And when the moon is there,
when it looks so small and far,
we’ll gather at the window
to name the brightest star.
You’ll stare up to the heavens,
your eyes so round and bright—
and when the moon is there,
I’ll kiss you all goodnight.
[heading style=”1″]Extension Activities: “When the Moon Is There”[/heading]
- Writing:
- In this poem, I repeat the phrase “when the moon is there” to show the progression of time, the position of the moon in the sky, and what happens at each stage. Write a poem about the passage of time, focusing on something that tells time, like the moon, the sun, the stars, a clock, an hourglass, or a shadow, and use a repeated phrase to give the poem shape.
- Reading:
- Read my favorite moon picture book, I Took the Moon for a Walk.
- Here’s an Amazon list of five more picture books about the moon.
- In the kitchen:

[heading style=”1″]COMING NOVEMBER 16: ROBYN HOOD BLACK![/heading]
Video Location: Cicada Central Station.
See more poems in my poetry video library. “When the Moon Is There” by Renée LaTulippe. Licensed by All About Learning Press, Inc. Copyright © 2010, 2012 All About Learning Press, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this material may be copied, retransmitted, reposted, duplicated, or otherwise used without the express written approval of All About Learning Press, Inc.
Renee, There is such a warm sweetness here. I just want to cuddle this poem! It reminds me of how “moon” was one of each of our children’s first words. Such magic. Thank you for this poem-to-save… Happy Poetry Friday!
What Amy said! Really nice poem, Renee…very comforting.
Thanks, Matt and Amy. Cuddles for everyone! 🙂
Beautiful Renee!
My 4th grader is completing a “Moon Unit” and keeping a moon journal this month, so we have done lots of lunar observing in the late night and early morning hours. I’ll share these poems with the teacher so there will be a literacy dimension to the science unit!
And yes, she thinks I’m odd when I try to explain Moon Unit Zappa and valley girls! 🙂
Tee hee! I’ve seen the phrase “Moon Unit” often in my travels looking for extension activities, and I always get a chuckle out of it.
If anyone leaves a bare-butt picture of themselves on my website, I am blaming you! -Ed
Couldn’t resist.
I want to hug this poem and hug you! You are too adorable. Adopt me?
Ha! That’s what I think every time I go over to your blog. For sure we’d eat better at your place…so when can you meet to fill out the papers?
Renne. This was beautiful. Now, don’t get me wrong. Your witches act was also beautiful. But this one will help me sleep at night, whereas the other has made quite the lasting impression on my imagination! =) You are so talented and this site is the bestest resource. I think you are the smooth operator, not moon! =) xoxo
Hehe. Sorry about the nightmares, Elizabeth. Consider this poem my apology. Nighty night!
What a sweet poem and delightful reading! I want to hug you and the poem too!
And thank you so much for sharing my book with your two bright and special little stars 🙂
Lorenzo loved the book, Iza! He’s my sensitive boy, so after I finished reading it, he took it off by himself to look at the pictures privately. So cute!
Beautiful, Renee! I, too, am a fan of the moon and will periodically drag my kids out of the house at night to look at it.
So far I’ve let them sleep through the Perseid meteor shower, but one of these years…
Ha! I have an image of pajama-clad youngsters rubbing their eyes and shivering in the grass as you wax philosophic about the moon!
Love your poem and your Chorus!
Such a beautiufl, sweet poem. Any child would love to hear it read again and again. Thanks for sharing it!
Very heart warming. Thanks for sharing 🙂
The phrase ‘Slice of bread, glass of milk’ brought to mind another poem ‘Loaf of bread, jug of wine’ (from Edward Fitzgerald’s translation of Omar Khayyam) which incidentally also has this stanza:
Yon rising Moon that looks for us again–
How oft hereafter will she wax and wane;
How oft hereafter rising look or us
Through this same Garden–and for one in vain!
Hey, thanks for sharing that, Vikram! Very interesting…
I love all the moon poems, Renee, and this is just so lovely and a sweet bedtime poem for the little ones. I think I told you last time, I’ve done moon journaling with students for a month in my past teaching. We watched, wrote & did different kinds of art, including moon cookies, for a month, ending with a full moon hike. It was something I wanted to give the students, a love for the moon. I don’t understand how people can ignore it. Thanks, & best wishes for more moon viewings!
Yes, you did tell me about the moon journal – what an great experience for your students! Here’s to many more moony nights for moon lovers everywhere. 🙂
*Sigh* Just lovely. I think I’m ready for bed…
Beautiful, Renee! I love looking at the moon, too! For some reason, I always pointed it out when my kiddos were young and still do!
I’m with you. The moon is definitely a smooth operator. Lovely poem!
Thanks for stopping by, ladies. Tina – my kids have been fascinated with the moon since it first registered in their brains that there was something bright in the sky. “Luna” was one of their first words.
This is precious, Renee. I agree…how can anyone NOT pay attention to the moon? It’s a beautiful gift that inspires. I love how it inspired your poem.
Very sweet. Did you see Lori Ann Grover’s moon poem in the PF roundup?
Lovely! Will share this one with my 10 yr. old.
Thanks for inspiring me to continue to look! Especially to share with a child.
That is so beautiful, Renee. I love moon poems.
This is one of my favs of yours (although it’s hard to choose).