Of heavenly hosts

When I was about five or six,

our father would take us to a show.

A grand and spectacular pageantry,

unparalleled in design and artistry.

The goddess of love ushers in the night;

her regal presence sparkling so bright.
A hypnotic and captivating beauty;
An embellishment of the nebulous skies.

As the breathtaking night unfolds,

Jove enters with his majestic court.    

Displaying his four radiant moons,

it was a heavenly spectacle to behold.

Orion, with his brilliant procession,

parades two of his most glorious stars.

A dramatic and sensual slow tango

amidst those celestial colorful clouds.

As the silver crest takes its final bow,

resplendent escorts join in poignant curtsy.

The august moon descends in slumber

while all the earth rests peacefully.

Traces of this childhood memory

appear blissfully on some quiet nights.

A tug in my heart as I see the big dipper,

a reminder of those days with my father.

****************************************************************************

After my mom died, my father spent a lot of time looking at the night sky. My sister and I would accompany him as he carefully observed the planets, moon and stars. We would climb on the deck near our rooftop as he mounts his telescope on a stand. Turn by turn we would explore the curves and surface of the mysterious moon, or maybe it was Venus or Jupiter gracing those special, quiet nights. This is one of my best memories with my father even if it carries a certain tinge of sadness as I know how he painfully missed our mother.  It is priceless and incomparable for he taught us to appreciate the silent beauty that is laid before us.

Jupiter and its many moons can be seen
with a backyard telescope.

Venus is brightest and
easiest to see on a dark night.

Orion  with its gaseous cloud
is one of the most
 visible constellations.
The belt of Orion is easily seen
as three bright stars in a row.