The full moon is up in the sky
where did all the stars go?
Are they hiding somewhere
Behind a cloud?
The  moon is bright in my backyard
did it chase the stars away?
Perhaps a celestial game of hide and seek
is being played tonight.
I wander outside many times
When all is dark above
Except for a star hung in its place
Which I count, oh, just for fun.
I start with those hovering over my backyard
Brighter than city lights below
Then I turn around to find lots more
Gently placed above my roof
And trailing beyond.
After all these nights, I smile
I count each one as a friend.
Do we have a conversation?
That’s something I’ll never share.
On most of those nights
The moon is so far away
It does not interfere.
Perhaps it’s traveled farther
Through the sky
Or perhaps its time is still coming.
Rarely do I see them together.
Oh, but the other night
It was a different picture.
The moon, bright but not quite full
was surrounded by six brave stars.
That was something fun to see.
I smiled at them all.
And yes, there are times
When the clouds obscure everything.
So many clear nights
Have nothing to diminish
My view of my favorite stars.
I tend to ignore their “constellations”
But greet them one by one.
So on these nights of  full moon
I wonder, “Who is chasing whom?”
I can’t believe that big logy moon
Is light enough to be so fast
As to start any race.
So it must be the stars
So nimble and quick
That are chasing the moon around.