I couldn’t stop looking
though it hurt my eyes,
so brilliant was the flame
engulfing the sky.
A burst on a red plate,
served for us to feel,
the warmth of the universe;
the depth of what’s real.
I felt a tear forming,
but squinted the release,
not wanting to risk
missing out on earth’s peace.
So I continued to watch,
until it was gone,
and prayed for another
beyond the next dawn.
When I got home,
the children were about,
recounting the day
and all that stood out.
And I asked them
if they’d seen the sun,
or if they’d ever been lucky
to know a better one.
Alas, disappointed,
I took up my seat
and watched from the end
as they continued to eat.
And though I didn’t know
all that was said,
I wished to listen
a hundred years ahead.
I wished to see
what they would see,
and what their grandchildren
would know from me.
I wished for a broad reach,
a whisper without end,
knowing all the joys
and all of their friends.
And while I thought all this
from my end of the table,
once again
my eyes felt unstable.
There was too much in them.
Too much to behold.
Too much orange—
too much gold.
So, I got up and left,
before they thought fears,
could possibly be
what caused all my tears.
— ❧ —
Poetry Inspiration
Thanks for reading! This is a simple one that was inspired by the greatest of all things on earth: love. Staring at the sun one day, I felt a big rush of it for everyone and everything, and it went right into some deeper thoughts about future generations that I wish I could know. Sometimes a poem doesn’t have to be an intense obfuscation of the matters that matter. Sometimes it’s just about love.
If you’d like to read more poetry, please check out In Verse.