Tonight's the night! A rare planetary alignment of Saturn and Jupiter is set to give us a spectacular Star of Bethlehem event. Some people are saying this -- but they are two dots in the sky and they aren't stars but planets and it'll probably be peeing down in Northumberland and we won't see them anyway. It doesn't mean a thing that, from the point of view of our tiny 'blue dot', two of the larger planets in our insignificant solar system appear in line.
I am not saying that the awe we feel in viewing the night sky is misplaced. It deserves our attention and our study. The great array makes us feel like small creatures, and we are small creatures, but our brains allow us to think -- and if only we would. If only we would let go of superstitions, predjudices, animosity, cruelty and war. If only we would become creators, not destroyers, maybe we could be greater.
On this Solstice, Yuletide, mid-Winter's Day I've aligned two poems for you. I hope you enjoy the juxtaposition.
Wise Men don't do it that way
Three idiots set out one day
to find a baby so they say
and
followed a comet or some star or other
to find this newborn and
his mother.
They didn’t bring them Christmas hampers
booze
or chocolates, flowers or Pampers,
but embalming fluid, incense
and gold.
At least that’s how the story’s told.
Apparently
they found King Herod instead
and some other babies ended up
dead.
That’s what you get if you follow astrology
instead
of using Sat Nav technology.
You end up in entirely the wrong
place
with all the eggs in history on your face!
Every Child
There are the Winter stars
strung out like Christmas lights
across the night's expanse.
There's Mars red as firelight glow.
It must once have seen it's own snow
its memories preserved in permafrost.
There's the Plough – the Big Dipper
looking much like a sleigh.
We name non-existent patterns far away
so they seem real to us. Each child of Earth
looks towards the skies
in wonder, anticipation or despair.
It isn't Christmas everywhere.
Christmas is not for all. If only
we considered every child as special.
