The Night Sky _____ AKSHR

 The Night Sky

 

You give me the kind of feelings 

people write novels about.

 

The kind that make me call you out 

at 4 in the morning when I'm

cold and can't sleep, to ask if you still love me.

Without a word, you slip your hand 

into mine, and together we look

up at the night sky, where Venus is rising.

I want to tell you about it: 

how its light is both male and female; 

how its orbit is the closest to Earth 

of any planet but Mars;

how its surface temperature is so hot 

that lead would melt on it.

I want to tell you how I know, 

because when Venus was in front of the sun, 

we learned about refraction and light waves.

But instead I just lean into your shoulder

and watch the sky, wondering

if Venus will still be there 

when we look again tomorrow.

_____ AKSHR