The Astronomer

In the beginning,
there was darkness:
the ultimate ignorance of the Universe
exploding with white light
expanding infinitely;
definitely;
resolutely;
everything that is, that ever was
that ever could be in range
of a telescope
or an astute eye scanning the Heavens.

The limited vision of the astronomer
digitally enhanced upon a screen,
the lights deflect, reflect,
dance upon his face,
and now he is crying out to the Universe to save him,
but the Universe cannot hear him.

So instead he sits alone,
scrunched between a desk chair
and an illuminated rectangle
that contains all of the secrets of the Universe
if only he can learn to speak Her language.

The more he works,
the farther he seems from his goal:
will we ever unlock the secrets?
Why are we here, and how in Heaven or Hell did we get here?
Can you make someone love you?
How many stars are there in the night sky?
Is there a Creator?
What happens when we die?

Overwhelmed by the questions,
the astronomer falls asleep,
his mind begging for rest,
but instead creates a hazy sub-world
where demons play tricks from the clouds
and nothing is defined by the laws of physics:
a pure anarchy of the mind,
as he sees a ladder before him
and climbs
and climbs
and climbs
without knowing quite why
or how he reached the top cloud
and there is the Angel
waiting to wrestle.

And He knows what he doesn't know
and nobody knows why
they're on the top of the cloud
grappling, screaming, writhing
hoping, wishing,
praying for the victory.

But there is no end, no blessing,
for the dream is over before the astronomer knows
what has happened to him
and he continues to explore the depths of the Heavens
and the skies continue speaking to him
as he tries to learn to listen:
What happens when we die?