Starry Night

by Satya Dash

Jasper Garratt

Stars flossed out of gapped clouds Stars taking sanctuary in the moon’s desire Stars now arriving in blue neon suits Stars peeling off my mother’s temple Stars falling on my lap, slow dancing with my hips Stars witnessing in heaven how God designed death Only the stars saw Him throb like a gilded bone Stars that convinced Him it was acceptable to fault Stars now prancing in the margins of my notebook Stars scribbling my name in a handwriting possessed Stars hustling my nostrils into the purge of a sneeze Stars disappearing fast in dawn’s corner Where words once betrayed the mouth of a sea Stars reappearing once you make your way To the sun’s amber closet of stars that are dead Stars unglued from the banner of spangled dreams Stars circling in tribute Van Gogh’s severed ear Stars scampering up the tree of fruit winged dear Stars putting a lid on my cup of small tempers Stars bored of attention, slipping shine out of dazzle Stars revealing themselves when I lie prostrate In the cathedral of somber perishing light I don’t know how else to say this, but I’m hoping Stars take me in when I’m done with life

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Satya Dash’s poems have been published or are forthcoming in Passages North, Cosmonauts Avenue, The Florida Review, Pidgeonholes, Glass Poetry, Prelude amongst others. Apart from having a degree in electronics from BITS Pilani-Goa, he has been a cricket commentator too. His work has been twice nominated for the Orison Anthology. He spent his early years in Odisha, India and now lives in Bangalore. He tweets at @satya043