Poetry Bus 20th. December.

Weaver of Grass gave writers the single word prompt "STAR"


Daughter, Five


Her eyes grew wide when stars
blinked against indigo.
"From Earth they seem like globes.
But through telescopes on platforms
built for watchers in the gloom
you'll see five spokes. Like stars in school."
What child's afraid to scheme gavottes for angels,
tally their balance on cosmic pinnacles,
or juggle the moon's Copernicussed polka
if it suits her daydream? No room
for logic here, or lecturing -
she'd drop me in my quacks; wisdom
rarely keeps its feet in Wonderland.
I risked - "Stars like yours were common -
years ago." Half truth? Perhaps.
But it hurts to know when magic fails,
my small stargazer all too soon
must leap for her life's one choice -
let worlds spin as they will, eclipsed in bigotry,
or toil to unpick her Universe
with five frail senses aimed
out across the vastnesses,
true on some tiny star.




Note. Copernicus . 16th century Polish cleric who heretically declared the Universe was not centered on the Earth, risking the wrath of Rome.
"Copernicussed polka"  because no fewer than 64 equations are needed to fully describe the Moon's motion in its complicated orbital dance round the Earth.
Posted on 21st. December, when a total lunar eclipse coincided with the Winter Solstice. Best seen on the west coast of UK at 7.40 am.  Some rather nice pics from BBC Northern Ireland here