Husband was having a David Bowie fest this morning when I went out. His words inspired this villanelle.

The stars look very different today,

I can’t see how to paste them in the blue,

They fell extinguished when you walked away.

A million words I wrought to make you stay,

But on my tongue not one of them rang true,

The stars look very different today.

No dreams we dreamed still shine in light of day,

The sun, the moon and stars from hanging all askew,

They fell extinguished when you walked away.

Once we would watch in awe their wild array,

Let their fierce glory pierce us through and through,

The stars look very different today.

The future’s dead like soldiers in a fray,

Now darkness fills the void where comets flew,

They fell extinguished when you walked away.

Where rainbows arced, the sky is dull and grey,

Night…