Cruel

[Kristine_ES]

Sometimes you can see stars disappear, all the way down here where you’re lying on your back in body-warm grass, alone, breath streaming up and away.

Obsidian sky defeats all fluorescence—it leans over your body like a stern parent. You feel small but unafraid because the sky just wants to make sure you’re still looking, still watching, and introduces you to things you cannot understand, or undo.  

You watch alphanumeric shivering diamonds not straight on because your retinal attachment gets in the way. No, you look a few degrees off because if you look at things straight on, well you might see things you cannot understand, or undo.  

Stars disappear before our eyes, holding cards, facing cameras, telling their pain, while we in some distant galaxy (where bullies surely reign) can hear laughter, laughter because they’d do it all again.

[Kristine_ES]

bolton, sometimes i feel connected to the world in ways i don't understand. but i reeeealy need to expand my vocabulary beyond sky and cry and why  lol

gita... in our daily lives? to TEACH OUR CHILDREN not to bully. to value life, differences. even if it's the next door neighbor kid, the kids that come over to play. the mothers in the parking lot bullying their own kids.. is there ANYTHING we can do to get them to settle the heck down?  *sigh*  i don't know. 

jamie and bill, thank you again. 

[Gita]

What can we do in our daily lives to help, is what I want to know. I want something concrete and specific and not just blogging that will make a difference.

[bolton carley]

stern parents.  oh the effect skies have on you.  you really seem at one with things like this.  it sounds profound.

[Jamie Hogan]

It was next to the last on the page, clinging to the bottom, about to slide off. Wow, what I almost missed. Congratulations, Kristine. You wrote the sun down.

[Bill Floyd]

Reread after seeing your explanation, and it makes it even more awesome and poetic.  One of the many roles of art is to testify to beauty in the face of ugliness, and you made a star regain its shine.   

[Kristine_ES]

very glad you liked this, but wish it wasn't such a downer. 

this six happened because of heartbreak after reading about the loss of another young person to bullying.  had to leave my desk and walk around because i cried at how awful human beings are, and how i can't fix it. what is wrong with people? anyway.

hopefully next six will be lighter, sweeter.  

[Bill Floyd]

Where the hell did this come from?!?!  It's amazing in nearly every particular.  Hard to pick a favorite, but "...well you might see things you cannot understand, or undo..." and "...some distant galaxy (where bullies surely reign)..." are probably in a tie.  Although that ending, which speaks volumes about humanity and nature alike, is up there, too.  

[Angela]

So many well turned phrases.  I read this many times.  Very enjoyable, almost mystic piece.

[Diana E. Backhouse]

This is so beautifully poetic, Kristine.

[Cita]

AAAahhhh..... like a good stiff drink made softer with swallowing.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.