Sunday, December 28, 2008

One Single Impression -- Stardust

stardust


initial instant
incomprehensible light
--everything stardust.

***

universe explodes into being
blinding brilliance,
every molecule birthed
from starry furnaces,
driven ‘cross space and time.
we are but the dust of stars.


©sgreerpitt
December 27, 2008


As I thought about this prompt during the week, the only thing that occurred to me were snatches of songs (particularly Joni Mitchell's "we are stardust, we are golden.."). Finally I realized that it had been a very long time since I'd looked at the stars. So last night (the night of the new moon -- darkest night of the lunar cycle) I bundled up and took a sleeping bag outside to spend an hour or so just watching the stars.

Even though I live in a rural area there were street lights, house lights, and passing vehicle lights that dimmed my view of the stars. Modern society seems to be doing its damnedest to blot the stars from view. Who sleeps beneath the stars today? Who lies awake and finds pictures in the stars and makes up stories about them? We hide inside caves of light, making mirrors of our windows. What are we hiding from?

For other poems on the theme of "stardust" see One Single Impression.

20 comments:

Beth P. said...

Damn fine question, Sue--

Thank you for the fine poem, but even more for the prose at the end-

I do sleep out under the stars on a regular basis. It helps keep me sane and my life in perspective...

Thank you--as always--

Geraldine said...

There is much to ponder here Sue. Great takes on this wonderful prompt, thanks for sharing.

Hugs, G

sgreerpitt said...

Beth P -- it is good to hear from people who do sleep under the stars, so many people do not. Indeed it seems like most of us in the modern world don't go out at night except to scuttle as quickly as possible from a lit building to our metal traveling shells, where we overcome the night with power and light, only to scuttle back to another lit building.

Anonymous said...

Ah yes, great minds...lol! Someone, I think it was Jim?, came up with the old song Stardust, too. The subject obvisouly inspires a lot of creativity. I really enjoyed your poems, too. You captured the 'magnificence of the moment'!

Anonymous said...

that must be a nice experiment - sleeping under the stars and maybe get a little inspiration from their glowing lights

I like the first poem, it seem to reflect the moment when you're staring up at the stars

anthonynorth said...

A great poem - and there is nothing more magical than laying on the ground on a clear night, looking up and getting lost in the universe.
You get a glimpse of infinity.

floreta said...

nice, glad the prompt inspired you to look out at the stars! i like your poem. it's very simple and the imagery is great.

Raven said...

These are all beautiful. I especially like the middle poem (that's counting your prose as a poem because it really is)... and I love that too. "We hide in caves of light." So true. Beautiful post and good food for thought.

Anonymous said...

After a week of rain and snow, we have our stars back tonight. The wind is blowing so there is lots of twinkling going on.

Lovely work, Sue. And, yes I was writing about Obama.

SandyCarlson said...

Good for you for getting out there and taking a good look despite the conditions. I enjoyed these very much. Just trying to imagine that mighty furnace. What a great image.

Anonymous said...

Hello!
I really enjoyed your poetry and musings on the stars.
I hope you don't mind--I "added" myself to your followers list when I scrolled down and saw your beautiful "sycamores in winter" pictures.
You have a very enjoyable blog!
~Angie

Anonymous said...

Yes to the haiku. Big bang in 17 syllables. Well done!

gautami tripathy said...

You made us think. Thats a good thing!

playing for pleasing the moon

And please do visit Poetry Train being run each Monday!

Tumblewords: said...

Profound. What, indeed. However, I won't be sleeping under the stars for a while because about 5 feet of snow cover seems more uncomfortable than it appears.

Quiet Paths said...

I connected with this verse deeply. You wrote many things which my verse only implied. Thank you for finishing some of my thoughts. The last time I slept out under the stars was in October along the Little Blackfoot River. It was about 35 degrees and the stars were .... magnificent at midnight.

Jim said...

Hi Sue, I like to watch the stars. Most often I do that when Adi (our beagle) goes out around midnight before her bedtime.
When there are no clouds they are so bright and clear.
I would have loved to watch an explosion of these stars. I think their final explosion is actually an implosion.
http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=38
..

Linda Jacobs said...

I like that image of the mirrors in your prose poem. And the last line of the second poem "the dust of stars" is just different enough to keep it fresh.

sgreerpitt said...

Jim -- thanks so much for that link!

Melody said...

"from starry furnaces, we are but the dust of stars" ~ makes me look up and appreciate the universe and our existence. Wonderful pieces, thanks for sharing them and also for taking the time to stop by.

Anonymous said...

.many thanks for the lovely poems &
a very happy new year!..