You talked to the stars br as if they knew you br whispered their sweet names br & they came to you br br like cows br grazing in your mind br you gave them their known names br & they adored you br br taming the night skies br their constellations your consolation. br You tell me that: “The stars are really br all the dead that ever were br ...looking down on us! ” br br No longer earth bound br beyond br the reach of such human grief br as yours br you br convinced br you will be a star br lost in these heavens. br br * * * br br This cold night br the stars trapped in the sky br Forever br only a poster br peeling from a crumbling wall br br to reveal br past Forevers br past recall. br Memory only a circus br an audience’s gasp br br as an acrobat slips up br & falls br in the big top of your dreams br once again the music fails br the memory of your laughter br like the tinkling of bells br trembling inside me br br beside my self br beside you br all this forever gone br I search for you in the heavens br find only stars trapped in a sky.