Amateur Astronomer

Pale moonlight steamed as the fields exhaled
breaking out in the sweat of a cold winter's day
and clammy black branches looked like crazing
on the glazed disk of the darkened sky above

the sudden squawk and flutter of a distraught
pheasant tears through the silken rustle and scuff of little animals
rabbits startle and freeze their ears acute, twitch and flick
a badger pauses in it's progress

shadowing the sparse hedgerows in search of supper
something small and soft and unsuspecting
such as scurries and squeaks as it seeks
fruits and seeds and shelter

from the top of a hill quiet and still
a telescope sweeps the sky
settles first on Venus big and bright in the early night
then traverses the moon, tracing the mare imbrium

and the mare humorum with care and gumboots
takes a ringside seat for spectacular Saturn
or stares in awe at the nebula in Orion
an amateur astronomer with a universe to play in

oblivious to the irritations of cold wind and wet grass
consulting star maps by torchlight and sipping
from a flask of rather stewed tea
feet in the damp grass and mind in the cosmos