Stars in my Sink

This month's writing prompt was to channel another writer's voice. I wrote this poem a long time ago and forgot about it until just now, but this was my attempt at channeling the wonderful Shel Silverstein. He's much more talented than me, but it's still fun to think about poetry in the same child-like, carefree way. 

"Stars in my Sink" -ww

One day, not so long ago

As some of you may think,

Every star up in the sky

Fell down into my sink.

‘Absurd!’ you squeal, and rightly so,

It’s quite an odd affair.

Who would have thought that all those stars

Could fit inside of there?

I was not angry; not one bit.

I was not even scared.

And even though they broke my roof,

I hardly even cared.

I thought it quite a lucky feat

Those stars fell in my sink.

‘Cause stars are worth a pretty price.

“I’ll do quite well, I think.”

The next day at the market place

I towed my market wares.

But I could not get one star sold.

I only got dark stares.

“Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard?

You cannot sell those stars.

You need to put them back right now.

You can’t sell what’s not yours.

“Those stars are wishes cast by those

Whose efforts cannot yield

What you have at your fingertips

To hold and know and feel.”

I held a star up in my hand

And curiously saw

A myriad of images

Race ‘cross the crystal ball:

A crying child wish for a toy,

A mother wish for rest,

Two lovers wish for time alone,

Some wished for life; some death.

I saw my face reflected there

‘Mid wishes so sincere.

How vain, how shallow, how absurd

My wishes now appeared!

Suddenly, I saw those stars

In quite a different light.

Those stars were meant to dot the sky,

And brighten up dark nights.

“But how?” I asked to those who stood

And chided my pursuits.

“How can the stars go back up there?

And who will fix my roof?”

“You could use a catapult,”

“Or maybe a balloon.”

“Perhaps a rocket ship will work,”

“Yes, surely that will do.”

“No, no, my friends, not one of these

Will take the stars back home.

I think we have to send them back

The same way they came down.

“I’ve wished for my entire life

On every wishing star

I’ve fought, and cried, and prayed and hoped

And even traveled far.

"But now I’ll send my wishes back

Into that outer space

Where wishes wait for even me

To reach and grab my fate.”

So one by one I wished away

Those hopes that shined so bright.

And one by one they flew from me,

To light a darkened night.

Now through my roof at night I stare

And hope the stars can see

I don’t need them to grant my wish;

Both they and I are free.