-September 22, 2016, 8:15 PM-

after a twilight supper, (wide egg noodles in butter

with steamed broccoli and a nice young Chianti) a pleasant
night's walk out-front where the road is, Mars is seen

far above the tree line in the northeastern sky.

––It was noticed as a burnt-red smear, but faded

slowly  behind a drifting, sporadic cloud cover, but

rose again as it does in a playful god’s-like game

of celestial peekaboo.

––tonight, the jitterbugging gnats dance

over the common bushes, polished under streetlight,
the blue, fickle Cumulus drifting northward, the planets
dancing in their system's promenade, as the stars
continue their reluctance in surrendering their true positions.

––from this place I'll confront the unbelievability of what is known

and the true-romance in the wild hypotheses of what is not.

––I first took notice of the Solar System in early grade school 

with glossy pictures in color taped above the blackboard

during the time when the Moon was well beyond our reach.

my schematics of a long ladder with extensions
to be added on the way up to the Moon seemed to make sense
and was fondly received by Miss Pollard with a warm smile.

later, I addressed the Moon by linking it directly
to the drive-in theater's atmosphere and my young love life.

the sky will have its way with me tonight
and after a fine supper, standing on my home planet

where the road is, I'll continue my observations
as well as my oath in keeping my mouth shut
on the status of Neptune, awaiting confirmation
concerning that disturbing dream-sequence, deep in the late-
Autumn skies of October, 1951.