Full Flower Moon

As the old poem says, April showers bring May flowers and the name of May’s full moon reflects this common wisdom. In most areas, flowers are abundant during May. In fact, most of the cultural names for May’s full moon (Full Corn Planting Moon, Field Maker Moon, When Women Weed Corn Moon, and Blossom Moon) reflect the month’s connection with agriculture and growing things.

For me, May’s moon is always connected with growing up near one of the world’s largest sporting events, the Indianapolis 500. I can remember cool May afternoons during the 1970’s when the sound of qualifications wafted on the spring air, over the roofs of suburban tract houses, and into my small backyard. That sound had a kind of high-octane sex to it, an excitement that didn’t make sense to my pre-pubescent brain but would eventually manifest itself in wayward fantasies about the bacchanalia of 16^th Street the night before the race. The Indy 500, complete with a festal procession, drinking feast, and drama within the 2.5 mile oval of Dionysus!

And that brings us back to flowers. I mean, after all, whether you’re talking about boys and girls or flowers and bees, it’s all really about sex. The Full Flower Moon is a symbol of the fertility of the land, the farm, the flock, and the farmer. Next time you find yourself out on a May night with the scent of Mock Orange or Leather Leaf Verbena teasing your nose, think of the loves of your life and wild oats sewn in the fields of your youth, and give a smile to the Full Flower Moon.