Walking East One Autumn Night

Walking east one autumn night,
I looked up and saw Mother Moon,
ahead and to my left.
She was growing older, a little hunched,
but still full of life and vigour.

Benignly, she lighted my way and said,
“Look to your right. Two of the Old Ones also watch.”
Sure enough, Jupiter and Saturn were there,
shining brightly in an open patch of sky.

Jupiter, or Father Jove (of “jovial”),
belly-laughed with joy.
Saturn, Grandfather Cronos, old and slow and often glum,
still favoured me with a knowing half-smile.
“Walk well, young man,” said one of them. (I’m not sure who.)
“I will,” I said. “I will.”

Coming up my street, the streetlights blotted out the sky.
Well, just about…
The human world washed out the stars,
but Mother Moon and Father Jove and Grandfather Cronos still remained.