betelgeuse

you vast, ageing, unstable star, red giant,

trembling on the verge of collapse, you’ve burned up

all your forces, now unpredictable –

but that collapse one day is as certain…

as is my own.

but for you –

what a way to die, scattering seeds of life through space

with your demise!

without the unstable ageing

and explosive ends of such as you,

we could not be here; a whole brood of stars

had to burn their fuel, collapse, explode and die,

propelling their vital elements in all directions,

to make that possible.

are you restless with your impending death, rebirth,

you vast red giant?

as you turn, as earth turns,

as galaxies slowly circle, in the dance

of coming into being and going out again –

like those first simple stars that came and went

so that new stars could form and living planets too

come into being, so

the dance goes on, no matter what,

for all should die dancing as they lived.

                                   how i would love to see your ending

before i die – don’t linger, i don’t have much time left,

but long to learn that lesson, to scatter the seeds of light,

of love, of thought, of joy, as widely as i can.