Astronomer's Son (a fragment)

Slim silhouette on the downstairs deck
His skins dim border, a black hole
Stands arched in observation
One eye closed

What'cha still doin out there Dad?
Aren't'cha gettin cold?

He coughed out no, no
Just go on back to bed Son
I'll tuck you in soon

I climbed the ladder to the top bunk
Waited for one small step into my bedroom

Except he's seeing stars
He's light years away
Pondering perhaps
The usual comet or eclipse
The latest telescope of his
So prized I couldn't touch it
But I did

Or maybe the vast void of space
It's sheer size he studied, I don't know
The way space s e p a r a t e s
One body from the next
With darkness, distance, emptiness
I do know
Left him speechless, restless, spouseless

--

Greatest Space Images of All Time
(I recommend enabling full screen for the slide show)

Comments

Post a Comment