“Star Chasers” (poem)

Two men looked up at a speckled sky

By a campfire on the dewy ground

The first man glimpsed a tiny star

Still very dim and barely round.

Let’s go to the little star! he said,

But the second wrinkled his nose

He squinted and scanned the skies above

And another, grander star he chose:

A great white star to end them all

Glittering like emerald gold

It sparkled fancy and keenly glowed

It was truly a sight to behold.

Go chase dim stars if you wish,

He replied with false praise,

But I go to the one that truly shines!

So the two men parted ways

They went up past the sky

In compact ships that traveled far

The first man waited years and years

As nearer drew the little star

Till a light began to shine therein

That made it glow ablaze

Overjoyed was he, at length,

When he approached and felt amazed

To learn it had glimmered all along.

To see that at last, he effervesced

While the second man went off afar

Admiring the light he’d soon possess

Until at last he found the star

And learned it long ago had burst

No shine, no warmth was there to find

To see that now, he wailed and cursed

And cried with regret in spades.

For many years he’d believed a lie:

The light had not reached him soon enough

To inform him the great star had died.

He swirled in dark and grasped about

His trip in vain, no star to admire

He bundled up with ragged blankets

And wished he had a fire.