Under the Stars

The clock reads just about half past midnight.
The rain subsided barely an hour ago.
Stillness fills the humid air as I watch her step outside of her suburban home.
A young girl I wish I knew.
A little too cold for her tank top and shorts, but the chilled air strengthens her,
And holds her closely.
She inhales,
Following a long exhale.
Her eyes close subconsciously.
She lies down in the middle of her driveway,
Only visible by the moon that shines over her,
And over the street,
Not yet full, but almost there.
Instantly I saw a change in her.
The brilliance of the atmosphere transforms her.
It was like watching all the fear and troubles evaporate.
Troubles of a home that doesn’t feel like home,
And the fear of the future,
And of the big, big world.
The radiance of the cool ground
Seeps through her skin.
The aggravated girl I just saw seemed instantly breathless,
Instantly new.
The moon’s light reflects in her pupils as her eyes feast upon it.
I can see her thoughts escaping,
Her mind soon hollow and vacant.
And for the time she laid there, under the stars, she was free.

I want to help her.
I want the rain to wash away her sorrows and the sun to melt away her fears.
I want her to know that everything is going to be ok.
But I cannot
So I lay with her.
Together, our eyes stretch across the universe.
Our ears embrace the dead air.
Our bodies rest lifeless.
I know she cannot see me,
but I hope she feels less alone.
I hope she can see that she is safe.
That I am watching over her everyday,
Through bliss and despair,
Because a grandpa always looks after his granddaughter.