The stars smiled upon us

as if they knew we’d soon join them

as if their light reaching us

were open arms

inviting us home

home

a place we’d never known

at least not in this life

The elders used to tell me

these stories of home

a place they claimed to have known

a place with food to spare

without drones in the air

and kids with no fright in their eyes

would grow up

and grow old

and the only sound at night

would be of doves taking flight

I would listen to those tales

and let anger fill my soul

for we would never know of home

at least not in this life

We were forced to grow up

though we would never grow old

in the end it was just the two of us

me and her

I thought I would be scared

when the time finally came

but the stars smiled upon us

as if they knew we’d soon join them

and I knew it too

so held her tight

and began telling her stories

stories of home

a place we would soon know

if not in this life

then in the next