Poem for You

Selected from the National Poetry Day competition Post a Poem.
To see the poems previously published on the theme of Stars click here

The Stars' day Off
By Ian McEwen

Once they’ve winked out in daylight
I’d like to think they slough off the job
like us: hang each shiny donkey jacket
in the hall, eat and chat. Maybe some are
heavy drinkers or go off to the betting shop
and gamble round the clock, shave in the car,
turn up for work dead late and wasted
to flicker greyly and hope for a cloud
or two. Does anyone check that they did
all show up? In the right place? To glow
at the right magnitude?

But no, they stick around.

We can’t see them in daylight, but they go
on burning all the time. They can’t do anything but shine
in stupid competition with TV, sun and strapline.

---

Page last updated: 24th February 2014