learning the stars

[inspired by lines from Stephanie Pui-Mun Law's poetry]


half-way up the dirt and scrub hillside
he stops, turns to the night sky.  "do you
know what these stars are, jen?"  no, i
always wondered, never found out. "see, that line
of stars, 3-in-a-row, that's orion's belt.  but he's 
visible only during some seasons, othertimes he
falls below the horizon."  it's not anything like a 
warrior.  "sure it is, just look."  sure.  "you know why
i learned the stars?  when i was in high school, back in 
oklahoma, the plains are so wide nothing is in your
way, you can see the stars as if they're swallowing
you, and they stretch to the dirt.  in oklahoma, it's
awesome.  here the stars look so distant, so high in 
the sky.  i always thought if i were on a date, i'd 
bring this girl out to the fields, tell her about the
stars, it would be very romantic, then i'd lean over like
this," he bent near, "and kiss her."
     did it ever work?  "nah, i never ran into the right
girl to try it with."  his eyes focus downhill.  stars of
the city and red-tile roofs.  i'm sorry.  "no problem.  hey,
maybe i'll still find her."  yeah.  "let's go down, it's
getting pretty cold."


--jennifer crystal chien