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The book The House of the World has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and is now available on Amazon.

The Wishing Star

Jackie asked his grandmother,
“Memaw, would you do me a favor?
Would you make a wish on the wishing star
for me tonight?”
Memaw spread her hands.
Fisherman, save a silver fish for Jackie.
Postman, bring a valentine.
Soldier, drop your gun,
run home and play.

“What should I wish for?” she asked.
Immortal Buddha,
smile with passion on a passionate world.
Time paused to listen.
“If I tell you it might not come true.”
he said.
Memaw’s heart enfolded his.
“I think it would.” she said.
“What should I wish for?”
Jack glowed.
“I want everyday to be today.”
he declared.
Time sighed.

“You mean you want everyday to be
like today?” Memaw asked.
“No, I want everyday to be today,
except for one little part.”
and he was silent.
Mystery is a part of all horizon.
“Was somebody mean to you?” Memaw asked.
“No.”
“Did you make a mistake?
Were you mean to somebody else?”
“No.” He shook his head.
“It was nothing like that,
I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay!” she replied.
Everyone should bless a day
a child blesses.
That night Memaw prayed on the
wishing star.
Time added a day every day,
to an hour Jack would recognize,
always, every day to be today,
brand new.

Published inIndex of all Poems