Moon-Whales

Author: Hughes, Ted

Faber & Faber, 1988

Illustrated by Chris Riddell

Moon-Whales is the revised British edition of Moon-Whales and Other Moon Poems published by Viking in 1976. Yet, the revisions and the new set of illustrations render it virtually a different book. It omits six poems from the American edition.

The book is Hughes's second collaboration with Chris Riddell, the full impact of whose illustrations may only be experienced with the hardback edition (the paperback clips several images).

Moon-Whales collects poems from The Earth-Owl and the limited edition of Earth-Moon. It portrays creatures who inhabit a moon "at the bottom of our dreams" [Poetry in the Making] and the events that occur there.

The poems range from nonsensically playful and plain funny to serious. A wonderful book.  

See also Poetry in the Making, The Earth-Owl and Other Moon-People, Moon-Whales and Other Moon Poems and Earth-Moon.

Contents:

Note: This is the last collection of "Moon Poems", collecting and rearranging the contents of The Earth-Owl and Other Moon-People (1963), Moon-Whales and Other Moon Poems (1976) and Earth-Moon (limited edition, 1976). All four books are closely related.

Moon-Whales (1988)

[Omits the following poems published in earlier Moon Poem-Collections: "Moon-Theatre", "Moon-Roses", "The Moon-Mare", "A Moon Man-Hunt", "Moon-Freaks", "The Moon Bull".]

• Moon-Whales
• A Moon-Lily
• The Burrow Wolf
• Moon-Mirror
• Moon-Thirst
• The Moon-Oak
• The Moon-Haggis
• Moon-Wings
• Visiting the Moon
• Moon-Shadow Beggars
• The Earth-Owl
• Moon-Horrors
• Moon-Wind
• Moon-Tulips
• Moon-Nasturtiums
• Moon-Dog-Daisies
• Moon-Hops
• Moon-Heads
• Music on the Moon
• Moon-Ways
• The Snail of the Moon
• Crab-Grass
• Moon-Witches
• The Moon-Hyena
• Mushrooms on the Moon
• The Adaptable Mountain Dugong
• Moon-Cloud Gripe
• Tree-Disease
• Cactus-Sickness
• Moon-Weapons
• Moon-Cabbage
• Moon Art
• Moon-Thorns
• Moon-Ravens
• Moon-Marriage
• The Moon-Mourner
• The Dracula Vine
• The Armies of the Moon
• The Silent Eye
• A Moon-Witch
• Foxgloves
• Moon Transport
• Moon-Clock
• Moon-Walkers
• Moon-Bells
• Singing on the Moon
• A Moon-Hare
• Earth-Moon