The Conjunction: Jupiter Pursues Venus
Kathleen A. Lawrence
“Meet me on the other side of the moon,”
Jupiter gestured. Soft and deliberate, shy Venus
stretched out for her love with unfurling desire.
Shining brightly together, their orbits breathing
in rhythm, the planets paused before the sunrise,
two orbs ascending toward the color of cantaloupe.
Like the most elegant fox-trotters, they glided
the early morning speckled starlit dance floor.
Venus blushed demurely, holding on tightly.
They rose together. Moved together. Knew together.
Breathed together. Jupiter lifted Venus, the most
ethereal ballerina leaping tour jete in layers of tulle.
With eastern sky as dour chaperone, these planets
spinning in love remained low on the horizon. Light
speckled rose gold provided backdrop for Jupiter’s reveal.
Venus, draped in colorful bands of clouds cautioned
him to the rising sky. They suspended themselves for one,
brief, blissful moment without sound, nor wind.
But soon looming, jealous clouds doused in the color
of cement tried to obscure with menacing charcoal
shadows but the love planets were strong in their resolve.
Bundled up together in the daffodil morning light
they dazzled the crowd until the deep indigo velvet
curtain fell and the night sky whispered, “Sleep tight.”
The world slumbering beneath big love wakened again
when the promise of Monday morning dawned, refreshed
with glittering dew and a fanciful Milky Way.
