starlight and capes (revis'd)

once

a white-haired man

told me:

imagine—

            any time of day,

starlight showers down

over us—

like invisible

love….

because you know,

(he continued)

even though sunlight

outshines the stars by day—

still they twinkle on

in disguise

and behind….

oh what a precious non-secret

to carry around next to my heart!

•

some mornings

i swing despair on

like a cape,

or a robe….

sometimes it is the tablecloth i sit down to….

sometimes

i resolve

to hang it back

in the closet

with the old clothes—

(the ones

i really need

to give away….)

and i take out hope,

shake the dust out of its folds,

and try it on—

so awkward, right now:

neither one fits!

•

so

i take them both off,

and they lie in small heaps

 on the floor….

i stare at them,

mystified….

how do you live without one

or the other?

•

yesterday

in the blazing heat,

a (wise) young man said:

true peace happens

when you give up

both hope

and despair….

•

tonight

i walk out into the quiet

warm air—

the fireworks

have blown themselves out….

the revelers

have gone indoors….

the words of the old man

and the young

ribbon through my memory….

and up on the hillside,

out from under the trees—

i hold my skirt with both hands

like a basin

for catching stars….

_____________________

©2016

beth anne boardman