There above, high in heaven’s dome,

From twilight to dawn,

Beckoning us to a distant home

In God’s eternal morn’.

There in the heart of eternity

A beatific sight,

There In the heart of humanity

An earthly night.

The shining stars above, unrelenting.

Here I am, they say.

The blinding stars below resenting.

They threaten to go away.

The stars above, as if they will shine forever,

Casting their imperial glow.

The stars below, as if they will shine never,

Casting shadows that grow.

The shining stars above wish to help,

To freely give what I offer.

The blinding stars below wish to draw me away,

To hide things in their coffer.

The shining stars above do take me by the hand.

They whisper: are you there?

The blinding stars below echo reprimand.

They whisper: do you dare?

The shining stars above do light into my fabric weave.

They say: you must shine brightly.

The blinding stars below with shadowy darkness to deceive.

They say: we beckon you nightly.

The shining stars above give me their heart.

They say: I am yours.

The blinding stars below may depart.

Empty boats without oars.

At times, I stop a while and do linger,

Gaze above, then below.

I feel touched as if by some invisible finger,

Suddenly, I now know.

The shining stars above are fast descending,

Soon they will be gone.

Leaving behind blinding stars below fast ascending,

Soon to be swallowed at morn’.

 A gentle wind began to stir into a breeze,

Hither and thither as if in reply.

The starlight shone all around me with ease,

From the earth at my feet unto the sky.

A time will come when there will be no more stars;

They breathe faintly and dim.

The day will tuck them safely into sealed jars,

Waiting to rise over earth’s brim.

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(c) John Herlihy 18 January 2019