Spirits of the Earth & Sky

author's note:

“Is that a light in the sky or just a spark in my heart?”
                -- Graham Parker


SPIRITS OF THE EARTH & SKY

Today I carefully studied
a video clip of a silver light
zigging
       and zagging
and zinging
through the night sky.

I felt eerily amazed
but also confused--

what could be the purpose
of such erratic movement?

But I refused to ponder too long
and again turned my eyes down
to try to understand an erratic human
who often seems alien—though he is me.

You said you once watched
a cluster of stargazers chanting
“Descend to us, beings of peace!
  Descend to us, beings of peace!"

But the light above
abruptly shut off
as if to say: save your own selves.

I say:
Let’s encounter ourselves
and end our alienation:
when I know myself better
and you know more of you
I will know you and you, me.
Perhaps then
we’ll be able to see a design
in all our zigging and zagging
and zinging.

Poet, Heal Thyself: poetry ebook
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© 2022, Michael R. Patton

The Pleasure of Mystery on Halloween

author's note:

There's bad scary and then there's good scary.

Have a good scary Halloween!


THE PLEASURE OF MYSTERY ON HALLOWEEN

Voices mixed with footsteps
from some revelers in silhouette
echo from the cross street
a block from my house--

the words unclear--distorted.
Maybe those shadows are alien beings.

Well, that’s alright--
I don't want to feel safe tonight.

Those echoes ring within me
as I sit here on the porch--
I’m being invaded--
a chill thrills my belly

and that’s just what I want
tonight.

But then the party-goers go on--
the alien echoes die.
I sigh

then listen to the silence
--the emptiness--
both outside and in...

Suddenly the world is perfect:

I'm as deep and as dark and as bright
as that witching-hour sky.

And I realize:
I’m an alien in an alien universe

and you, you’re an alien too!

But that’s alright
I don’t want to feel safe tonight.

© 2020, Michael R. Patton