Some nights I can stand outside
and stare at the Milky Way,
study the uncountable stars, marvel
at the magnificence, and know that
(no matter how far away) it’s all a
part of my home, all just a distant
room I haven’t yet fully explored.
But tonight the Milky Way is just
a million billion stars, a million billion
miles away, not brilliant, not even
bright, certainly not home, hardly
worth even a second’s thought.
Tonight is the darkest of nights;
there is no Milky Way. Tonight
I am a million billion miles away.
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Poets And Storytellers United
Writers’ Pantry #38
Ominous Times
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RDP Sunday
~ EXIT ~
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And both are true.
Beautifully phrased, and the repetitions are effective.
Oh, this is so somber and heartbreaking. The sadness and dissociation is accentuated greatly—especially with the comparisons of being lost in space, along with being billions of miles away. That headspace is a hard one to be in, for sure. You describe it very well and so eloquently.
I think the more we look at the stars in the night sky to more we realise how much a pert of it we are. What a beautiful read.
I read the first stanza in the morning, sun shining through the willow leaves, wishing I’d read it last night. Ron. What a thought, that ‘it’s all a / part of my home, all just a distant / room I haven’t yet fully explored’. And then I read the rest of your wonderful poem and felt the wistful yearning – and welled up.
Nice thoughtful ( and honest..) counterpoint here, Ron. You visit the topic that so many writers (including myself) have dwelt on and have found an original take on things.. Stimulating to read… Thanks
Sometimes we are overwhelmed by our own insignificance.
I love the thought of “a distant room I haven’t explored yet.” Looking at the stars often makes me fellow so small — and reduces all my big problems accordingly. 🙂
The sun is currently bright in New York City. And although I know our sun is a star, too… after reading your poem, I find myself longing for stars.
Just gobsmacked by this–that swing is dizzying.
You hit on it. Lately, I feel like one of those stars, just dropped here.
Unfortunately, such is the case in most big cities. I remember the night sky on the farm when I was a child. I haven’t seen such a sky for a very long time.
Some nights are better than others to count the stars but always a time to fall into thoughts. The Church’s song “Under the Milky Way” came up on my playlist just now. Hmmm
Great poem, the milky way has become a distant dream nowadays.