The poetic city: “Shining Stars 3/8/17”

The crape myrtles that creep along New Orleans. (Photo: Wiki Commons)

Shining Stars 3/8/17  

The way I remember it, 

the clock said 2 AM. 

That’s when I awoke with a notion

to part the curtains, look outside, 

and see what I could see. 

Always before, light 

from the neighborhood 

precluded any possibility

of exploring the nighttime sky. 

But this time it was different…

This time I could see 

stars above the branches

of the old crape myrtle tree

And, much to my surprise, 

the stars seemed to be 

speaking to me…

They spoke of distances measured by light,

time measured in eons, and the 

impermanence of of all things

Then, as I described

the joys and sorrows 

of our evanescent existence, 

they seemed to listen with interest 

and maybe a little envy.  

Though the conversation 

lasted only a moment,

I remember feeling flooded 

with peace and a sense 

of oneness with all things, 

as I slowly drifted back to sleep.

Later when I awoke again 

it was still dark.

So, I decided to revisit 

my newfound friends, 

only to discover that 

the ambient light of 

the neighborhood did, 

in fact, make it impossible 

to see anything but that 

old crape myrtle tree.  

That’s when I figured out 

that my conversation with 

the stars had been just a dream; 

or, at best, a dream within a dream. 

And, I was heartbroken until 

I realized that those stars 

that shined so brightly in my dream

are all still shining that brightly…

All inside of me.