Ode to Many Stars

He walked awhile 'neath the stars, and watched
Them drape across the dark, in netting trailed
To catch the moon--pale and half-notched
With shadows cloaked; the shining silver veiled.
Those ancient denizens of summer night
Caught his forgotten world within their light--
Now it mingles with ours--forever fair.
Oft we would load our car, and travel far
Into the countryside; dark lingers there
When city lights dispel it from their sight,
But there, with farm-houses the only scar,
I too have stood and loved the dimming stars.

We'd bring our telescope, and turn its gaze
Until the rings of Saturn would appear
And I could see them through the earthly haze
Of distance, time, and nurt'ring atmosphere--
I still am young, but then I was a child;
Barefoot in tall fields, and grown half-wild
With love for all wonders I chanced to see:
The stars, the moon, the corn above my head,
The feel of grass, the shadows 'low a tree--
My parents loved me as I was, no mild
Weak or timid thing, but bold as the bright red
Found in Saturn's rings. They followed, I led

Into the world I made, that dreaming land
Where over all the heavy nighttime shone
That no light can dispel. My shadowy brand
I held aloft, until that torch alone
Kept through the waking day the dark, contained
In ashy embers, while the stars, sustained
As sparks darting about the burning wood,
Whispered their promises into my heart:
"Forever we'll remember those who've stood
And in their love, our radiance maintained;
Who 'neath our glorious rays revealed their art;
We will remember them, when we shall part."

Such loyalty, oh stars! Such faith you've kept
To both the lovers of the night, and day
For that bright star, our sun, has also wept
To wash the pain of countless lives away.
And to invoke your name now brings between
A thousand souls a unity--your gleam
In my beloved night, or through the clouds
And fair blue skies, is like a word unmade
Yet speaking still to all the earthly crowds,
Who have once heard this voice, and have once seen
Such stars, such joyful faithfulness displayed--
To them I ask: how can you be afraid?

My parents gave me joy; they forgot fear
When they taught me to love the worlds I found.
And so for all my life I have held dear
The wild rapids, clear and twisting round;
The lakes and forests--cold and ling'ring on,
The white-capped waves washing their dreary song
Along the stony banks, the forest leaves
That shield the loam below from burning rays;
The pin-prick red that dots the waving sheaves
Within the prairie-fields, aglow with dawn
'Till all the grass burns golden, half-ablaze
As moonlight, bowing low, turns nights to days.

This was my childhood: a thousand loves
That I cannot forget, though now they fade--
I will be faithful still, as stars above
Keep faith with me. The promises we made
Still linger in dried leaves upon the street
Or in grass blades crushed on the worn concrete,
And when the cars screech by, the wind they blow
Into my face reminds me of the gust
Swirling 'round cold lakeshores, long ago.
So though I know the city 'neath my feet
Is all encrusted with a sickly dust
I take what joys I find; for here I must--

I have not my deep lakes, nor scattered stars
And all within the grass are poisoned weeds
Bright neon lights are glowing from the bars
But how can they replace the vibrant meads?
Though hawthorn trees will grow outside my door
Still they are trapped between buildings, a poor
Exchange--for once I saw them growing near
A multitude of other lively trees.
Yet I do love this world, and cannot fear
That I will not see beauty anymore--
For how can I? when with the tousled breeze
There comes afresh a shiver through the leaves.

And he who walked some years ago, and wrote
And they who followed him, and sang and drew
They too once loved this world, to which I devote
Whatever praise I can. And they too knew
The bitterness of beauty meant to last
Yet fading to an e'er more distant past.
But I will not join in their wailed lament
That blames us all with starry voices thin
With anger and regret. For their ascent,
Across the darkened void, will be surpassed
As others, knowing not what once has been
Will find their worlds have beauty deep within.