stardust or sand...

Oh,

can you tell me tonight
how far

is the distance
between

two stars?

Approximately

fifty eight minutes by plane,
twelve hours by train,
& the tiniest of moments

between heartbeats.

Here on terra firma
two stars can look so close,

like
goosebumps on skin
or freckles on face,
mixed tears.

But there
lies (inbetween)
a vast, inky blanket of blackness,

dark matter.

There's
but a short celestrial breath
between

a star's birth from mere dust

through to
its spectacular, fiery

supernova demise.

Indeed,

even the light of our closest star
takes eight minutes
to reach & warm & nurture us.

Looking skyward at night,
the starlight looks so close,
so attainable.

But, indeed
their light has taken so long
to reach us

that they've long since
moved on

when we look up in awe
at their twinkling beauty.

Take comfort
fellow star-gazers,
and (just a little)

heed...

The stars have made
time travellers of us all.

The
stars
have
made
time travellers
of
us
all.

Tonight, of all nights,
once in a blue moon,

your tears, your lips,
mingle with mine.

You've waited so long for this,
and I have waited so long

to meet you.

Starlight burns,
not always sweetly.

But my love is true,

look deeply into my darkstar eye
you know it to be so.

And I have let go of so much
since we last met.

I no longer know

if it is stardust
or sand
on my pillow.


***


My heart is not
the only reason I am here,

my dear.

And for the first time
in a lifetime
(for this star at least)

my head's chosen you too.

Many have tried
to steal this heart,

but you (gentle star):

You.

You
are the first
I give it freely to.

And you
(yes, you!)

are the first in forty three years

who deserved it.

This moment is all we have.

And moments
taken day by day
(if you want it bad enough)

can make up an eternity.

Keep believing in me,
killing me with that smile,
holding me as I fall asleep...

and I promise to keep
finding ways

to surprise you.


***


Can you tell me tonight
how far...

is

the

distance

between

two

stars...?

 
(c) Brent M Harpur, 2012.

“When it is darkest, men see the stars.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)