Stars that Burn

Let hers be not the first to burn,

nor the most brilliant blaze,

but instead the quiet flicker

that reaches understanding at first gaze.

 

Let hers be the simple star,

with the most chaotic atmosphere.

More layers than you could ever count,

more songs than you could ever hear.

 

Let hers be more resilient

and watered by her tears

of happiness and anger,

silenced hope and screaming fears.

 

Of all the stars, the loveliest is her heart –

that beating burning star,

just begging the universe to let her in

or let her fire out.

 

By Jasmyn Bednar

 

**A featured submission from Mr. Johnson’s Sappho poetry assignment in his English 2 class for sophomores. Students had to take a fragment of Sappho’s poetry (in bold) and craft a poem around it. **