and the stars shine

once upon the sky

the stars were a compromise

between the night who filled

a loose sunset dome

and the moon

who glistened upon lonely oceans

and ignited the faces of wandering solivagants;

the night had told the moon

help me, oh moon

you are so bright

and your tides attack our children down below

with the vilest sprays

and i worry someday they will drown

and the moon replied

without me, your darkness

would cause hysteria and confusion

leaving our children down below to scrape by

alone and haunted

until dawn

and so the moon scattered its tears among the night,

drew back just enough

to calm the tides and make peace with the dark

and from its tears grew glittering stars

and their children down below

pointed at the moon's tears

and upon them made wishes

they hoped could come true

and strung them together

and called them constellations;

the night grew to love its twinkling gems

spinning unmistakeably, aeviternally;

the moon was content to let

her tears wet the sky in

the most confusing of seas

and together they watched

two of their children down below

gazing up at them, hand in hand

and one whispered

do you see the sky tonight?

the night embraces the moon

and the moon lights the water;

like a family

whereupon the second child frowned and asked

but where could the stars fit in

up in that big black dome?

what purpose do they serve?

but the first child merely smiled

and she lifted her eyes to the night and the moon and the stars

and the girl swore she saw them smiling back

and she said

and the stars shine