The Star Dream

The dream's setting
wasn't surprising
considering my Florida childhood
sand
blue sky
puffs of Cumulus clouds
Atlantic Ocean
 
a boy
maybe 10 years old
ran up to me
saying a star had fallen
 
excited
i followed him
planning to scoop it up with my shovel
into my little red pail
it would fit
because stars are small
with five points
or maybe i pictured six
since I was Jewish
 
we walked a ways
rounded a corner
and there before us
was a field of glowing whiteness
pulsating as though breathing
as though alive
 
length and width were exceeded
it cancelled the horizon line
but it had height and depth
 
I knew it was the star
my young mind insisted i was standing by one 'arm'
only one tip of one arm
an infinitesimal amount
of something incomprehensively vast
 
i came for a little star
 
and found...this?
 
i looked at the boy
silently wondering
why he hadn't told me
why he hadn't prepared me
to meet the universe