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AD LIBITUM

Song of Stars

Martha Leslie, MD

1 April 1997 | Volume 126 Issue 7 | Page 550

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Steadfast guardians of lonely men
are the signposts
that light the darkness
silent beacons harken
in the quietude
in the vastness of the night
forever from tomorrow
with its joy or sorrow, then
Bright or fragile heralds stay
a millenium before passing away
while ancient and future nations
invest hope in the patterns
to speak of events to be
inspire exploration, creativity
from Bethlehem to Orion
still returning at each day's end
creating room for dreams again
Final falling stars' flash
and capture attention
like men whose gifted time is brief
intensity compensating duration
fleeting though the moment be
sudden and unforewarned
brilliantly burned in memory
as is all great beauty and pain
stars like men have their history
their precious passing season

Author and Article Information

Top Author & Article Info

Stanford University Clinic, Palo Alto, CA 94304-2205
Requests for Reprints: Martha Leslie, MD, Stanford University Clinic, 900 Blake Wilbur Drive, Suite W2080, Palo Alto, CA 94304-2205.

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