My new camera and tripod seem determined to make me believe that happiness comes from the outside! The 42x zoom makes it possible for me to stand in my front yard and take a picture that details the craters of the moon. I feel like shouting!  What kind of crazy world is this, where I can take a picture like that?  And if something like this can happen in my front yard, why haven't human beings figured out how to stop the wars, or how to feed everyone good food? 

Well, that I will not be able to figure out in this blog entry.  But the moon did remind me of another moon song of mine, one I wrote a long time ago.
Recording it tonight a change to the song came to my mind, so I've sung it the new way, which is simply the change of the word "on" to the word "in" in the last refrain. And it's funny how making a lyric more accurate seems to make me happy.  But my guess is that making a lyric more accurate is actually an expression of happiness.  Like the moon, always new again, the song is reborn, and I'm so happy to post it here for whoever might happen upon it.      In Love, Kathleen    

She Shines
© K Hannan 1992

Darlin', I'm alone, I'm alone tonight
The full moon is shinin' and I've finally seen her light

It shines on me alone, shines on you alone
She travels the whole world around
Shines on the lovers, shines on the lonely ones
Shines on the lost until we're found
Shines until we're found, shines until we're found

Darlin', can you feel it?  That moon does not take sides
She'll light your way to laughter, and she holds me when I cry

She shines on me alone, shines on you alone
Travels the whole world around
Shines on lovers, shines on the lonely ones
Shines on the lost until we're found
Shines until we're found, shines until we're found

And oh I do get lost sometimes
I forget most everything I know
That's when I call on the moon for a favor
Please shine your light, show me where to go

And darlin' can you feel it?  That moon does not take sides
She lights my way to laughter and she'll hold you when you cry

She shines in me alone, shines in you alone
She travels the whole world around
Shines in the lovers, shines in the lonely ones
She shines in the lost until we're found
Shines until we're found, shines until we're found
She shines until we're found, shines until we're found

This song is based on a poem by Izumi Shikibu, a 10th century Buddhist Japanese woman.  I found the poem in a wonderful book called Women In  Praise of the Sacred: 43 Centuries of Spiritual Poetry by Women, edited by Jane Hirshfield.  The book was a revelation to me when I first saw it in the mid 90's.  It is full of poetry by women mystics whose existence, up until that point, I had absolutely no knowledge of.  The moon in this poem represents Consciousness, Oneness, the genderless unity underlying everything. I am full of gratitude to Jane for publishing this book, thereby helping to free me from stereotypes I had about who could or could not realize their true spiritual nature.  


There is also a circle dance that can be done while singing this song.  
I've attached a file of the sheet music and dance instructions down below the lyrics.  I've danced it all alone in my front yard at midnight, on a beach in the moonlight with friends, and with 150 people at MotorCo in Durham.   Please feel free to teach it, sing it and dance it anywhere, with anyone, anytime. 
  
No Part Left Out
melody © K Hannan
words based on Jane Hirshfield's translation of Izumi Shikibu's poem
a recording of this song with harmonies, flute, guitar, bass and crickets
is on my CD Seen & Unseen; Songs from the Light of Midlife

Watching the moon at midnight
Alone in the middle of the sky
I saw myself completely
I saw myself completely
I knew myself completely
Whole, no part left out      

Photos © K Hannan 2015 
Feel free to share the photos for non-commercial use! 
For commercial use of photos, please contact Kathleen.