On the Bright Side.

Shaffer, Eric Paul

On the Bright Side

   The planet spins at a thousand miles an hour, so the approach
   of night is no more disturbing than the speed. I will fear no
   darkness. I have my night-light cycling through the seven shades

   of the rainbow, and now as the room goes blue, the gloom gleams.
      Then, yellow--or is it gold?--radiates into blackness
   like a small sun in a grand galaxy. Each color leaps the little

   shadow plaguing the change as my room revolves through seven
   crowded hues, even taking a shot at Newton's ill-advised attempt
      to make a septet of the spectrum with the addition of indigo.

   And always, through the night, there are the stars, flaming and far
      away, fiery icicles in a void so cold we cannot imagine
   nor refrain from filling space with silliness and superstition.
      Here

   now is red, and when the night-light goes green, I see darkness
      alone
      moves me as much as the planet moves me although I know
   the light is coming too, at the same relentless speed.