Member Poem

Starlight circle dances
with the ones who love her, taunts
at arm’s length
her movements incalculable
her eyes sparkling, radiant

nigh is it possible
to love her enough
to earn her affections
her seldom smile

i have watched men
and women
waste away, chasing after her
calling her name
while she laughed into the morning

i have witnessed, once
through translucent curtains
a man meet Starlight
alone in the dark, and
she whispered her secrets into his ear
half truth
half lies

i have mourned in the night, cried
because i have felt Starlight’s gentle hand on mine
skin to skin
but turned too slowly to see her face

and i have met people
who she has loved, and tried
to make sense of her
we cursed her name, and vowed
to call off the search
to withdraw our love
to abandon our questions
to renounce our desire

but every night
Starlight dances
and every night we watch