“That’s just the way things are”
Mother had explained as I asked
Questions about the night sky and the stars

“The world is full of wonders”
She pleaded as she held my hand
“There will be things in your life
That you won’t quite understand
Like the way the moonshines but
Everything is still dark
Or the way dogs can’t speak like us
So instead they bark.”

She looked at me with eyes full of hope
“Sometimes you’ll be so confused you won’t be able to cope
But it’s fine because everything will be okay
And if you don’t understand now you will someday”

Soon after she left this planet in May

She left with no explanation
She left me with no clarification
I sat there gazing at the stars
And thought to myself
“That’s just the way things are”