One Full Moon in October

One Full Moon in October

By Suzanna de Baca

I was on my way to a party     in a high rise building
on the Upper East Side     dressed in costume 
as a Benedictine monk     in a simple brown robe
The night was crisp and cool     that snap in the air
that electrifying autumn energy     the feeling
that something might happen     at any moment 
like waiting for a singer     to open her mouth
for the sound to emerge     for the song to start
 
I emerged from the yellow cab     paid the driver
stepped into the street     the hum of traffic
and passersby buzzing      the harvest moon
bursting like a giant letter O     in the dark sky
A sudden chorus rang out     windows opened
yelling and cheering      and streamers and water
pouring from balconies in celebration    
a cacophony of joy      I could not hear
what anyone was saying     but I knew 
 
A man crossing the street    
clad in a blue pinstripe jersey  and a white cap    
with a blue Y     grabbed me      whirled me    
gleefully    planted a wet kiss     on my cheek
We spun round     for a moment
Bless you, Father!     he said   
looking at my robes     I mean 
Bless you, Sister!      and we laughed     
under the streetlight       in the dark     strangers    
bound by a common moment 
a shared happiness     the music of jubilation
spilling out      After all     it was Halloween weekend
and the Yanks     had won the Series
and the moon smiled     as if the world
could always      be this magical 

Suzanna C. de Baca is a native Iowan, proud Latina, entrepreneur, author and artist. She is an member of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. Her poetry has been published in numerous literary journals, including: Etched Onyx; Wholeness; Written Tales; Impermanent Earth; Voices de la Luna; Choeofpleirn Press; Our Silent Voices Anthology; Black Fox Literary Magazine; iō Literary Review; Yellow Arrow Press; The Letter Review (Long List and Short List); Way Words Literary Journal; Telling Magazine; Plate of Pandemic; Persimmon; LitEZINE; Blue Heron Review; Call me [Brackets]at University of Alabama; Consortium; Coalitionworks; Open Door; Snykronicity; The Mackinaw; Iowa Poetry Association Lyrical Iowa; Last Stanza; Monterey Poetry Journal; Ruth Weiss Poetry Contest (Honorable Mention) and other outlets. She is the recipient of the Derick Burleson Poetry Award and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She lives in the rural town of Huxley, Iowa, population 4244.

Jason David Córdova lives in Puerto Rico as an illustrator and painter. Some of his art can be seen on Instagram at @jasoni72. You can visit his shop on Red Bubble.

The Twin Bill is a nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. You can support The Twin Bill by donating here.