by John Zheng
The moon appears bloody red,
like in menstruation.
In a while its red drips
into soft radiance when it squats
like a bald uakari atop a pine,
then it flickers and hangs
like a limelight for a stage show.
At this moment a walk
across Tallahatchie Bridge
finds an impressive view
that amuses the eye:
moonlight and rising mist
waltzing over furrowed fields.
This is a typical view
of the Mississippi Delta
remaining in my memory
like Mama’s patchwork comforter
folded well in the closet.
John (Jianqing) Zheng is the author of Dreaminations (forthcoming from Madville Publishing in 2026) and co-author of Still Motion with Louisiana-based photographer Leo Touchet. He has lived in Mississippi for more than three decades and teaches at Mississippi Valley State University.
