Another Starry Night

Ten o’clock at night and bright as day.

The full moon makes the backyard look magical.
Moonlight reflected off the white azalea blossoms
Looking both beautiful and surreal.

Quiet at last. The kids next door must be tucked in bed.
The only sounds are from the freeway in the distance.
The droning hum of the traffic is not irritating at all.
The dogs have sniffed every blade of grass
And are now settled in at my feet.

I look up in awe at the sky
Looking at familiar constellations from my childhood.
We lay on a blanket, us kids and daddy
In this same backyard, many years ago.
Looking up at the same stars in the same sky.

Daddy knew all the names of all the constellations,
In English and in Latin, and what they meant.
He told stories of using the stars to guide travelers on land and sea.
How could one person know so much?
How could I know so little?

As I look up at the sky tonight, I see the Big Dipper.
Small aircraft fly over with their lights twinkling.
I scan the sky in anticipation:
No shooting stars tonight.

So much has changed since I was a child.
Changes too numerous to mention
Or even completely comprehend.
Except the stars in the sky
The moonlight on the azalea blossoms
And the awe I feel when I look up at the night sky."