Lunarosity

If luminosity measures light given off by its source
then lunarosity measures the moonliness of any object.
I created a lunarosity counter from a silver mirror whose last reflection
was of a smiling baby and an old watch unearthed from a graveyard.
To calibrate the lunarosity counter, I pointed it
at the sun at high noon: Zero lunarosity.
I pointed it at the full moon near the shore of the Seine
where lovers used their fingers and their mouths to weave the night:
Perfect lunarosity.
I pointed it at my dog and it howled until I stopped.
I pointed it at my neighbor (whom I suspect is a witch) and it sang.
I pointed it at my feet and the results were undecided.
I pointed it at you

and realized that no one knows we’re here,
and the stars are so beautiful tonight and
when I look at you I understand how a soul can have mass,
can reach across this small space between us,
can touch and be touched,
can exchange light like a kiss;

and in a coronal flash, can blind the Fates
and measure us by the light we reflect.