STARS

 

We had a lot to tell each other

after such a long time,

the night fog got brightened by our busy talk

and the candles in the restaurant sparkled,

vowels slid, at ease with the wine,

while we described our projects for the future,

we talked for hours, of everything, even politics,

wanting to be helpful, careful with advice.

Strewing with the night.

We went home then for some menial task

and I felt lightened even while collecting

the rubbish bag.

Walking you back to the bus stop

we felt we had to let something go free,

the dog, who needed her steam off,

she ran straight into a grass field

galloping in circles, in a frenzy

that asked for stars,

watching her we were so electrified

that we almost started to run.

Just before your bus came,

with an exaggerated swing, I hit the bottom

of a huge empty bin with the rubbish bag,

the bag banged loudly, I was sure

it had awakened the stars, some

appeared, actually, behind the fog’s rags

and you too decided it was time

to be exaggerated: “Dear me- you remarked laughing-

where did you throw it? No wonder

things in this country are so bad.”

That’s what beauty is, I thought, after

the measured drops of our voices in the night

we can allow ourselves the luxury

of dashing off with an uncontrolled flourish

sealing up our parting with a further spark

while it finds the lid of the world

and bangs it open.