I Never Loved Eclipses

I never loved eclipses.
I never understood
the worldwide, wide eyed

astronomical jubilation
attending them all.
even at school

with smoked glass
festivity was encouraged
with each viewing.

and we were happy,
just to be doing something different for a change
and outside. and it's not even recess.

why why are you happy
something childlike wants to say
that light, pure light is going away!!

in later years I remembered
though that is true 
the bigger lesson still is too:

though I had found it hard to track
that light, that light
always comes back.

mary angela douglas 4 july 2020