WRITE UNDER THE MOON | JULY 2024
July 2024: New Writers, Updates, and Boosts Bursting in the Buck Moon Sky
Read on for more Moon newsletter cheers and highlights
Welcome to July, everyone. How did we arrive here so quickly? It seems like June has flown right by, and here on the Moon, we’re looking around, wondering where it went.
As they say, it’s best to focus on the present, which means it’s time to dive into this month’s newsletter!
July poetry prompt challenge
Tree Langdon’s flowing river of creativity, dolloped with stepping stones of nature, wonder, and mathematics, led to July’s prompt based on the Fibonacci spiral:
June’s Summer Solstice Poetry Challenge gifted us splashes of sublime poetic delight, including first-time Moon prompt participant Nanie Hurley 🌿(“Moonlight Dinner”) and Méke (“A Day of Flowers’ Sorrows”), who wrote from a southern hemisphere winter.
Welcome new Under the Moon writers
An orange creamsicle summer welcome to every new Writer Under the Moon! Tree Langdon wrote a beautiful, inviting article, “A Celestial Greeting to New Writers,” which includes all our newbies. (June-bies? Moon-bies? 🌔)
Welcome to Judy Walker, who is new to the Moon this month but not new to writing or Medium. This boosted poem was music to our ears, diving deep into outward appearances and how they impact us all.
Judy’s poems always take us to another place, exploring different concepts of life and becoming who we truly are.
Nikolaos Skordilis joined us under the moon and immediately swept us into his exploration of dreams, inner dragons, and the fluid constitution of our fragile bodyminds in “My Imperishable Dream.”
Lastly, Idris Jimoh, who started under our starry skies in May, continues to wow us with each submission with his writing prowess. But have you checked out his visual art? “Leaves Dancing in the Rain” is illustrated by Idris.
June boosts 🎆
Let’s take a moment to review some of the amazing pieces that come sailing to the moon each day. We have so many talented writers on the Moon that narrowing this section down is very tough. We appreciate every single one of you for making Write Under the Moon what it is today.
Without further adieu, let’s take a look at a few of the boosts this month (I’m still updating the Moon boost section — it’s a work in progress)……
To begin with, Misbah Sheikhh wrote a stunning piece about poets and their experiences beyond the ink. We love Misbah’s creative style and how she isn’t afraid to try something new.
This poem starts with reflections on the color of Misbah’s words — red, crimson red, like blood. For us to be understood by the masses. Read the rest of it here:
J.D. Harms wrote a gorgeous poem called “Drinking in the Storm,” which reads like a mind-blowing thought adventure. What can I say about JD that his poem doesn’t already tell us?
This piece has everything from Tarot cards and oracles to muted silver moons. It’s a really striking piece and I loved the reading experience. Dive into its imagery below and start drinking in your own storm:
Somsubhra Banerjee is always full of poetic style, and we love his smooth vibe and the beautiful personal photos that elevate each poem in its own special way.
“Echoes of a Passing Train” reflects on a moment in time when one watches a train pass by and, for a brief moment, connects with the faces of people looking out the windows.
Make sure to visit this poem — we think you’ll appreciate it!
Jill Eng is truly a poetic force who makes our day every time we see a Jill submission come through. She has such a cool style; whether it’s abstract poetry, prose, or something in between, there is a deep message there.
This poem is no exception — “Lightning Forces Ran Amuck” stands out as something we can all sink our minds into:
Mike Ketch is truly one of a kind. We love reading his unique poetry and how he deeply dives into topics like life, death, poetry, and the moon.
The best part is that every single poem Mike writes takes you on a journey, and it’s well worth the trip. Check it out below:
Reminder about our non-fiction change
Just a little reminder about our new non-fiction changes — don’t be afraid to step right up and give it a whirl. We’ve had some truly amazing stories come through, and we look forward to reading more!
Don’t miss out on these wonderful reads:
A.H. Mehr shares some ghostly family tales in a magical piece called “Three True Paranormal Stories That Still Pique My Curiosity,” which highlights her experiences with the unexplained. We loved reading about how these events shaped life growing up and even changed perceptions. Not to mention, they still impact A.H.’s life today.
You can check it out here if you dare:
LIN has also been sharing her experiences with us, and it’s been eye-opening to read. In “This Is What a Spiritual Test Really Looks Like,” LIN reflects on past experiences and traumas and how they lead to a self-awareness of the current situation.
Everything changes once LIN happens upon two daffodils in a McDonald’s cup — which symbolize rebirth and renewal. I won’t spoil any more of the story, so you’ll have to read it for yourself:
Marie A. Rebelle has also been sending us some fantastic stories that might make your hair stand on end. In these stories, Marie talks about dreams that stick out in her mind and how she navigates her search for answers.
This piece explores Marie’s dream, which involved furry spiders, an ice bear, her daughter, and her father, who had passed away. The details are amazing, and it’s such a fascinating read. Don’t leave before clicking this link — you won’t be disappointed!
Let’s keep these beautiful stories coming! As a friendly moon reminder, our non-fiction will now only focus on:
- Near-death experiences (NDE)
- Ghost stories, hauntings, etc.
- Out-of-body experiences (OBE)
- Spiritual awakening.
- Encounters with the unknown.
- Encounters with family members who have passed away.
- A serious illness that changed the course of your life.
- Any unexplainable experience that caused a total shift in your life
(i.e., changing your view on death and almost everything else). - Any “wake-up call” that ended up sending you in a new direction.
We’ve had a lot of pieces about dreams causing significant changes to occur — keep them coming!
If you have any questions or wonder if a piece you’re writing will fit, please don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know.
Here are the new guidelines in case you missed them:
Want to become a writer?
If you’re not a writer yet but would like to put your words on the moon, you can check out our updated guidelines here:
Much love from your Moonie editors:
Claire Kelly, Dave Logan, Tree Langdon, Amanda Weir-Gertzog, pockett dessert, anddd The Sturg (Gerald Sturgill)
P.S. Our friend Christine Graves published another of her wonderous Word-A-Day monthly inspirations if you want to wax on wordily for a while:
