an evening walk through the park

a few stars

shine through the canopy

arcturus above

antares

to the south   low on the horizon

i begin to name stars for lin

then

bite my tongue

if she's curious   she'll ask

now

she's thinking about the minor third

it's unique place in the scale

it changes everything   she says   

~

antares is the bleeding heart

of scorpio

arcturus   guardian of the bear   of the north

lin is less enthusiastic about sevenths

though

she's yet to discover jazz music

we come to the turning-back point in our walk

truth is   

i'm not sure what stars we're seeing

trees block the southern view

yet

i see the bleeding heart through the leaves

i like the seventh   lin says   in

sittin' on the dock of the bay

~

we stroll   homeward bound

'home

where my love lies waitin' silently for me'

i hum a little of it   

lin says 

it's the minor chord that makes it sad

yes   i say   and wistful   

leaving the park

we trade star light for street light   car light

convenience store light   urban light

fair trade i suppose

light shows us the way home

i haven't the skill to navigate by the stars

nor the need   

~

it's late   marketa is already in bed

i make us tea  

tidy the kitchen and living room

lin is playing her guitar   

finds chords

quietly sings a song i don't know

across the street i see the constellation c v s

in neon

an old familiar

and i know i'm home

home

where my love lies waitin' silently for me

i sip my tea   text a line to colin

domesticity suits me so very well   

 ~

lyric by paul simon, homeward bound

c v s is a drugstore chain