Hawaii Pacific Review

by Ron Domen

I woke from a restless dream about my father
who recently died. He would have been 102
this month. I got out of bed and went outside.
No faint glow from the rising sun was visible
and I was in awe of the dark clear sky.
Jupiter was in the eastern sky in the constellation
Gemini with its two bright stars Castor and Pollux.
Taurus and Orion were in their glory as was Sirius
the brightest star. When I was 10 my father helped
me build my first telescope and sparked a lifelong
interest in astronomy. In my dream my father
was alone walking away from me toward trillions
of points of light. He looked back briefly and waved.

Ron Domen is a retired physician living in central Pennsylvania. He has two published books of poetry (The Owl in the Woodwork, Finishing Line Press and Plaintive Music, Dos Madres Press).