Truth also is the pursuit of it (Oppen)

Is it a night to count stars?

    he asks and leaps to the

foot of the bed

    to gaze up into the skylight.

Such disappointed groans he

returns to his pillow.

No?

No stars tonight

I don’t know why,

he pouts.

It’s the moon, I say.

That big bright moon

takes all the light, and leaves none

for the stars.

When will it go away?

the moon – will it go away soon?

Soon, I say.  Soon we’ll be able

to count stars again.

The moon will be gone away

    and the stars will have enough light to shine again. And

we’ll count stars.