Fire Lanterns

Man-mad stars 

never leave earth;

they shrink beyond our seeing

then come back down. 

These stars wear gowns
that mushroom out in the black liquid sky.
Orange jellyfish made of paper and fire
that glide through darkness,
confident they will reach the surface
and find external light.
Man-made stars burn brightest
and live the shortest:
 the Ephemeroptera of the star world.
Four in a family bow their heads
to the new-born light
And release their star
to the overflowing night.