A Dandelion Scattered at the Stars

by John G. Dockum

1977 Contest Winner

Men are vain to think that God

would be so provincial as to make

one living world, for heaven’s sake,

then scatter sterile stars abroad

to remind us we are alone in sin.

That’s not the way it’s always been.

We sit on night grass

watching the cruise of Orion, of Perseus—

see the rise of Venus, the charge of Mars,

make a dandelion scatter at the stars.