A dream a thousand stars old

The wet juice

From the strawberry

Red

Dripped down her chin

A small piece of happiness, but

All the same

Happiness

Is the joy of living.

Do you take joy from the brush of ink across the page,

Swirling in its own ecstasy?

Remember that

Words written in stone one thousand stars ago

Can find their own meaning

In the stars today.

And if a little boy dreams of reaching his nebula some day,

Why stop him?

See what we can do.

Watch us.

Hush, child.

I am trying to tell a story

One thousand stars old.

Once there was a little girl who

Did what she was told and sat with her hands in her lap,

Primly,

Perfectly.

Now, good night, deary.

But-

We say

Staring up at the stars above our window

But how can that be

One thousand stars old

If we have been right for longer than that?

Pieces link

Like the parts of a jigsaw puzzle

She watches

Learns

Waits for her moment

Watching the movement of the stars.

Remember the deep thrumming of the ocean.

The heart beat that stands alone.

Rushing waters 

Rushing farther

Stop rushing.

Listen to your heart beat

Your own bubbles of happiness

Gently, gently

Shhhhh.

Be calm.

Come here, darling.

I’ll wrap you in this little blanket.

For I love you

And nothing will bring us apart.

Shhhhh.

I’ll rock you.

Grandmama, 

Show me.

Show me the world.

All right, I’ll

Show you the touch of a glimmering goldfish

The heartbeat of a mother

Love a thousand stars old.

Soft silk

Caressing her

On the happiest day of her life.

The veil will hang over you someday.

Watch the world.

Watch when I take my last breath

Watch when your little brother takes his first.

Take all of your breaths

Live them

Live each moment

Remember what’s important.

Joy

A thousand stars old.

Now, baby, I’ll kiss you goodnight.

Kiss me, baby.

I love you, Grandmama.

I will dream

Of joy

A thousand stars old.

Curled up under my nebula.

Why not let me reach for it?

You never know.

I may discover

Anything.