The Escapade of a Young Astronomer

I crept down those stone passages

apprehensively so. I kept mostly to

shadow. Sometimes I strayed into

the light cast by the many candles

but the castle was silent. In no

predicament did I find myself entangled.

I was heading to the tallest tower

you see. I thought to practice

astronomy. I reached a darkened corridor

and began to climb a silver stair.

The gentle wind was ruffling my hair

as I emerged into the quiet night.

​

The sky was of the deepest violet,

glowing in the twilight with the aid

of a thousand twinkling stars.

The mountains were just visible on

the horizon, dimmed by the crescent moon

and Mars rising behind them.

Yet these observations were little to

the purple lake. She was unnaturally still.

Candles from every windowsill

cast golden beams upon her surface.

Mars and Venus, those silvery orbs,

were absorbed into her water. The radiance

of star and moon were embroidered upon her,

as though cast by some ancient Arabian loom.

Perhaps if I had dipped my quill into that

glistening pool of ink, I could have illustrated

a chink of the wonder I felt that night,

looking over that celestial lake.

------------------------------------------------------------

1 2