On my nightly walk yesterday
I looked up and was blinded by
a shower of stardust.

Transfixed by this beauty
I didn’t see where I was going
and fell into a world war trench.

Where I lie, for a while,
till my dog came sniffed my breath
happy that it didn’t reek of wine.

A glorious self-knowledge came to me
I’m a happy cynic who believes
that human kindness is incidental.

I’m free of the cranky middle aged need
to tell people, younger than I
how to live their life.

So it’s only me and the stars
and they are safely afar when I falter
and fall in presence of their wonder.