The Great Conjunction
December 21, 2020
We went outside the minute the moon rose
And the sun began to slip below horizon,
Looking for the Christmas Star,
Dreaming back hundreds of years
Of astronomical convergences, Galileo,
The two planets almost touching rings.
I was trying to keep dates in mind,
Historical events, wondering how lucky
We are to share something like this
With people who lived in 1226,
When Jupiter and Saturn touched fingers
Or even kissed in the sky, their rings
Jingling with lights that shimmered
In the hearts of those who happened
Upon a clear sky at the exact time.
I think of St. Francis of Assisi, who
Loved his conversations with the birds
And sang nature’s glory.
But tonight the sky is cloudy
And we are standing behind a line of trees
With the sky map in our hands
A bit lost and sad that the light
Of the planets hasn’t reached our eyes,
And we didn’t get to make our wishes.
Yet, I tell my children that even
Though we don’t see the kiss of planets,
It doesn’t mean that is not happening–
The heavens are brighter up there
And we are still expectant. It’s like
The love of God, working secretly.
Carmen Bugan 