how many stars are in the sky
she asks gently
breath on my cheek but light years away
counting
one by one by one
blades of infinite grass combed by
paintbrush fingers

child believed the night sky
just another illusion
sleeping sun
a blanket with pinholes
ever to be carried away by dawn

how many stars are in the sky
she questions raptly
travelling from one galaxy
across the universe
tallying silently so not to disturb
the sleeping birds and trees
i am hypnotized by her satin lips counting
and want nothing more in the now
than to feel them on mine.

it is always now
a fourth-dimension prank
forward and backward meaningless
different names for the same direction
except to memories and dreams
a parlor trick of the universe

how many stars are in the sky
she murmurs, sleeping
naked skin hugged tightly to mine
dreaming kitten twitches,
whispers questions in alien tongue
she in her curious travels
a waking vision from which i cannot turn away

revelation, a gift of knowledge
dreams can bend
like water
holds no memory
neither manipulative illusion nor trick of misdirection
but true magic
cause and effect unbound by physics

how many stars are in the sky
she asks childlike
smile exploding darkness
eyes ablaze with wonder and joy
under her spell
i count exactly one