Clair de Lune Pique-nique Tune Poem by Vlatka Herzberg

Young Chloe hopped and skipped behind her mère.

“Salut, grand-mère Lune! Ca va?” she yelled.

“Shh!” whispered her mère, “Grand-mère Lune is sleeping.

You’ll wake her. Speak softly.”

“Excusez-moi?” whispered young Chloe.

“Oui, mon chéri. Just so,” said her mère.

Chloe walked more quietly,

telling her feet to be silent, “Shh, se taire.”

Mère and Chloe tiptoed through the grass to just the right spot.

Mère spread out a blanket with moons and stars.

“Fantastique!” admired Chloe.

Mère set the picnic basket on top of it.

Chloe wanted to open it, “Bon! S’il vous plaît ?”

“Oui, mon chéri, you may have a bite,” nodded mère.

Chloe’s eyes were as big as la Luna.

She pulled out the moon cookies first,

and took a bite, “C’est délicieux!”

Chloe pulled out the moon pizza next.

It was big and round and as white as the moon,

with lots of cheesy-white hair.

“Un ange,” observed Chloe.

“Oui, mon chéri,

Grand-mère Lune is an angel,” mère agreed.

“Just like you!”

“J’ai faim,” said Chloe, rubbing her belly.

Mère looked up at Grand-mère Lune, waiting for a sign,

“When is the right Clair de Lune pique-nique time?”

“Bon!” The coyotes deep in the forest howled.

The frogs croaked, the crickets chirped,

and a shooting star shot by la Luna’s face.

“Voir la lune!” Chloe pointed at grand-mère Lune.

Mère laughed, “She’s winking! Voila, a sign!”

Coyotes howling, frogs croaking, crickets chirping,

and a wink from grand-mère Lune.

“Voici the right time for the Clair de Lune Pique-nique tune!”

“Merci!” sang Chloe.

She and mère dined to their heart’s content,

under the silvery light of grand-mère Lune.

Bon appétit! And that’s the end of the Story.

Copyright © 2014, Vlatka Herzberg, all rights reserved. You may not reproduce materials without permission from Vlatka Herzberg.

Photos by Vlatka Herzberg