the starfish lay on the beach
as the tide swept in and out
it was left behind, abandoned,
small star in the vastness of sand
the pebbles spread out around
older than starfish or I
I cupped my hand in tenderness
and released a star to the sea

when the sun sank down I wandered
followed a winding trail
higher and higher I climbed
away from the rolling waves
until I felt above it all
with life spread out below
a giant on a solid rock
where nothing disturbed my peace

I rest on my back on granite
cold and hard against my spine
gazing up to the endless night sky
and a lattice of gleaming stars
where patterns move, intertwined
a fragment of infinity, greater, vaster by far
a tiny edge of the Universe
where all our short lives are

beneath me, i feel the earth turn
the silvered stars flash and shine
already dead, extinguished, aeons long ago
their twinkling lingers in time
i spread my hand to define them
measured against my palm
i am so small and they so vast
perspective loses its grip

strapped by gravities fragile belt
held fast to the slow turning earth
I feel myself begin to fly
inward and plunging out
there is no up and no down any more
no beginning, no end, only light
we’re an infinite variations of one
across the dream of night
amongst the rocks and the sand