Through interstellar
by Scott Edgar
Space to us then getting lost
In yellow street lamps
This haiku captures the bittersweet journey of starlight. After traveling tens or hundreds or even billions of light years through interstellar space, it ends up lost in the ambient glow of artificial light.
On a practical level, it reflects the impact of light pollution: how the soft yellow of street lamps drowns out the ancient light of stars, severing a connection that once bound us to the night sky. What was once a shared human experience of looking up and seeing the cosmos is now dimmed, both literally and spiritually.
Further reading:
‘Light pollution has cut humanity’s ancient connection with the stars – but we can restore it’, 2023, Graur, O., The Conversation, available: https://doi.org/10.64628/AB.afg9r7ph9
‘Stars disappear before our eyes in light pollution, citizen scientists report’, 2023, U.S. National Science Foundation, available: https://www.nsf.gov/news/stars-disappear-our-eyes-light-pollution-citizen
Author bio:
Scott is a father of five who finds peace in long desert hikes, wildflowers in mountain meadows, and the occasional perfectly shaped rock. He’s a self-published poet with three books out, including a collection of haiku, and a fourth on the way, the host of The Poet (delayed) podcast (available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts here: https://blessed-pine-5317.fireside.fm ), and the co-founder of “Torchlight,” a monthly arts and open mic event in Bountiful, Utah. He also practices law in solo practice, balancing the legal world with a steady pull toward creative life. You can follow Scott on Instagram @poetdelayed.