Once in a Half Moon:

Simone’s Notes:

Sappho's poetry centers on passion and love for various people and both sexes. The word lesbian derives from the name of the island of her birth, Lesbos, while her name is also the origin of the word sapphic; neither word was applied to female homosexuality until the 19th century. The narrators of many of her poems speak of infatuations and love, sometimes requited, sometimes not) for various females, but descriptions of physical acts between women are few and subject to debate. Whether these poems are meant to be autobiographical is not known, although elements of other parts of Sappho's life do make appearances in her work, and it would be compatible with her style to have these intimate encounters expressed poetically, as well. Her homoerotica should be placed in the context of the 7th century (BC). The poems of Alcaeus and later Pindar record similar romantic bonds between the members of a given circle.

Mother Superior holds out her hand.

“The time has now come, my students!

We must begin the harvest!”

Their cheers fill the sky.

Rice bends to their will.

Paper lanterns go up around the buildings.

The first year students,

Boy do they sing!

Their song catches onto the other students.

Their songs lead to fornication.

Yes, fornication makes them happy.

Why would they need men for that?

They all have each other.

Mother Superior also gets in the act.

What is with all of this lust?

They spend every day hooking everyone up.

This is the one night they express their own desires upon each other.

So much love and fighting has worked them up.

However, not everyone is in a celebratory mood this year.

Laurel notices Bette frowning.

“What’s wrong, baby?”

Bette sighs.

“We shouldn’t be celebrating.”

Laurel gives her an odd look.

“Why not?”

Her partner flops back on their bed.

“We’re about to go to war.”

“And?”

“We should be more concerned about fighting the Fallen Ones.”

Laurel sits on the bed next to her.

“We are, but we need to rest to.”

Her partner tries to speak, but she stops her.

“It’s okay, we will win this.”

“Laurel…”

Her partner climbs on and silences her with a kiss.

Bette pulls her in closer and deepens it.

They celebrates for now,

But tomorrow they will go back to war.