Write a Poem about the Stars - July 15, 2023

a retired astronomer once asked me

and every time I see him now

his smile practically begs

“Would you write a poem about the stars?”

Well would you like the logical angle?

those pinholes of light in the arc of night

are simply burning balls of gas

or poetically scientific - expiring suns

that slowly burn in their coffins

like a billion flickering candles

then there’s the hopeful kind

where lovers and the lonely throw wishes

at the twinkling specks for good luck

of course I could craft one

out of the mystical as signs

from the gods to interpret

which I mention last

mainly because translation

of that nature can be so

oh what’s the word . .

cockamamie?