A Void of Emptiness
by Michael Doyle

Approaching the study of the edges of space 
Has only begun as technology sets the pace
For the time, it must be studied in deference
As it is a humbling, character-building experience

The stars we watch are like trees in a forest
That watch back, alive and breathing, without rest
We try to choose happiness over suffering yet fail
As bleak as we are, hoping our better angels prevail

The void of space knows the pangs of emptiness
But it is the human heart that knows loneliness
Though we swear to love one another as our bond
This promise intrudes on spaces that burn beyond

As we truly strive, making friends with our imagination
The hurt felt pervasively needs some decontamination
As the voices we begin to hear become heirs apparent
Taking form in the cruelty that is worn utterly transparent

Some put their heads in ovens and other sorts of bell jars
While others launch their voyage deep into distant stars
Our need for others is overwhelming and totally compelling
As it breeds jealousy, envy, and fears that are soul-revealing

Space is a moving sea that flows between each other's shore
Crashing in waves of feelings that wear until they are worn
As we mortals face the anguish of our moments spent alone
And we learn, again and again, that we are not made of stone

Into the muddy waters, we continue to into the ebb and flow
While our conversations are the sum of more than we know
We often give up the essence of ourselves to keep others
In so much love as we are with the vanity of one another

(c) March 9, 2024  Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved