The Hemlock Journal

‘Pareidolia of the night sky’ by Christian Ward

A comet of spilt white paint
on the road. Daffodils
dying like red giants
in the nearby gardens.
Spiral galaxies of barbecuing
sausages entertain office workers
in the market. Trundling
my way home, the asteroid
belt of cracked tarmac
fails to distract from the cats
orbiting my thoughts like ghost
planets. The gas giants
of unpaid bills loom on my desk,
while I struggle to understand
the gravity keeping me here.

Photo by Philippe Donn on Pexels.com

About the Author:

Longlisted for the 2023 National Poetry Competition, Christian Ward’s poetry has recently appeared in Acumen, Dream Catcher, Free the Verse, Loch Raven Review, The Shore and The Westchester Review. He was shortlisted for the 2024 Alpine Fellowship Poetry Prize and won the 2023 Cathalbui Poetry Competition.

2 responses to “‘Pareidolia of the night sky’ by Christian Ward”

  1. Michael New Avatar
    Michael New

    From the universe of despair and delight. I liked it.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Michael New Avatar
      Michael New

      Seeing things where they don’t belong is experiencing the world’s metaphorical nature.  What is is something else depending on how you feel.

      The comet of paint on the road is a messenger. Daffodils dying like red giants raises the significance of the loss of a flower.  How wonderful to see spiral galaxies in barbecuing sausages.  Anyway, that was my experience of the poem. 

      The meaning is in the metaphor. Who doesn’t wonder once in a while what force, like gravity, keeps us stuck where we are? I hope I’ve clarified my original comment.

      Like

      Reply

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