Chris Tse
   
 

Astronaut

In his dreams

                     the mouth of night

is mute            from a year of troubled star-gazing

 

terrified and unwilling              to explain

the idea of                 tomorrow

             to a boy adverse to propulsion.

 

             *

 

No news from the control centre

regarding signs of new life. (The adoring astronomer

                                      disarmed by scientific intent.)

 

This is the twenty-first century: surely we have

the technology to instil hope             or at the very least

             encourage us to believe in the *idea* of hope.

 

             *

 

He holds his breath    and thinks dangerous

thoughts           of lightning      shooting skywards

             from his eyes.

 

Each blunt day brings         another reason to pray

             or hours spent hanging on

stars that never return                   his attention.

 

             *

 

Gravity, orbits:

                         unforgiving attraction

to the things that draw us near but never reach out.

 

Still no news.         These slow days

                    draw out      with marbled static

and a distinct lack               of interest.

 

 
   

Chris Tse is a writer from Wellington, New Zealand. He studied English literature and film at Victoria University, where he also completed a Masters in Creative Writing. His poetry and short fiction have been recorded for radio and published in various journals and anthologies. He is one of three poets featured in AUP New Poets 4 (Auckland University Press, 2011).

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