Ghost Stars In The Heavens

(to Galileo Galelei)

what kind of lens will it take to find them

the ghost stars in the Heavens

those who have passed away in the tinfoil candy wrapper day

or never quite became conglomerated enough

to shine

let us make stars the Lord God said but he had so much

tinsel left over, luminescent gift wrap

it never got all used up and then there were the moments

when he got distracted crafting flowers

Imagine what it took to form one rose, the prototype

or maybe these are those who were almost born

the faintest flickers and there they are in wisps of gleaming

and though you

try at a higher resolution to define them as they are

you won't be able to do it

the ghost stars perhaps they are the silver smoke of mirrors

He could no longer see us through or the emblems of all

that might have been

my ghost stars wandering on an interstellar wind

in dreams you are never quite there

even in dreams even in dreams

mary angela douglas 18 february 2021;rev. 20 february 2021