full
of red geraniums —
the one-armed wheelbarrow

six years out,
sharing a can . . .
'Fresh Earth Air'

Stellar Anxiety

depth of winter

The stars shimmer because they are nervous, separated by distance and darkness. They want someone to lead them back to that heady brilliance in the heart of the bang. Insomniac and quivery, they lie awake tallying particles and fields and poly-dimensional strings.

the muffled music

Many faint at acceleration to light speed. Others complain that going nova shows pretentious passion or grumble that the universe keeps splitting. Most rehash interstellar gossip: red giants are pompous, black holes acquisitive, and white dwarfs outworn. Ten trillion talk-show hosts, they babble desperately, praying for the charismatic guest to arrive at last.

of entropy