UNIVERSE FINGERS

For Hayley

I painted the universe on her hands,

we put stars in the folds of skin on her palms,

but I know the stars are really in her eyes

every time he smiles at her from the passenger seat.

The comets are in her veins

when her hand rests on his arm while they dance.

And she says she has a black hole for a heart

but I want to tell her it's also a supernova.

It's big and bright and beautiful and blue,

and it's leaking out through her irises and her fingernails.

My best friend is a universe with a really beautiful soul in the center,

and I am lucky to have spent time orbiting that soul.

I'm sorry that he doesn't see her in the way she deserves to be seen,

maybe he doesn't know how to use the right kind of telescope.

I want to tell her that every single planet started out as broken pieces

put together by a Master's hand.

I want to tell her that Saturn has rings and one day she'll get one, too.

I want to tell her that I'm sorry that sound doesn't travel in space,

and I'm sorry people don't always hear her when she needs to be heard.

I want her to know how often I am the moon

just trying to reflect her light.