In This Vast Sea of Stars

By Patrick J. Leach

So often in my life I’ve felt lost, alone, at the mercy of huge and powerful forces. The universe was hostile, dangerous, vast and complex. I frequently felt helpless, depressed, fragile, and ultimately out of control.

One night I was camping out, lying on the grass in total darkness in a remote mountain area. The stars were out with no city lights blotting their brilliance. My friend showed me how to use his binoculars to see the Andromeda Galaxy. Even with the powerful magnification, the cluster looked small, but it had the distinct and recognizable shape of a spiral galaxy. Everywhere I looked millions of stars scattered across the sky, and they seemed to go on forever. I was overcome by an acute awareness of just how vast and magnificent is our universe, peering out at a fraction, realizing how small I am.

At age 44 I was introduced to spirituality and began to slowly embrace a genuine relationship with a power greater than myself. Since then I have grown to rely on this power to help me in every aspect of my life. I no longer feel so small and alone.

Now, at age 62, I am present this book of poetry and art with -- I believe -- God’s help. This collection of poems touches on my feelings of being on a puny planet, endlessly orbiting a rather average-sized star. I am not alone and will not be at the mercy of hostile forces that torture and destroy. There is reason to have faith in the spiritual essence of the universe - call it God or whatever power you perceive. We are here for a purpose, which is the beautiful and terrifying divine mystery of life. May I live it well and may these poems strike resonant chords in your own life.

IN THIS VAST SEA OF STARS
We are visitors here in our bodies
Little boats living in this vast sea of stars
Peering out into a tiny fraction of the whole
Billions and trillions of brightly glowing suns

Each so distant they appear as small white lights
Coalescing in countless galaxies spinning on their
Endless unfathomable journeys
We circling one bright yellow star in our Milky Way

On a little blue, green, and white world
Some say we are the only intelligent life
I am certain we are as common as grains of sand
In the waters of the broad oceans of earth

The universe - bigger and more awesome
than any of us can ever imagine

It offers me solace
To be one infinitesimal part of the whole,
Reaching out to the Creator of this vast sea of stars

Why?

picture the instability of a galaxy spinning
with millions of star systems pushing and pulling in
all directions

take the shortcut home right before dawn
after driving all night
pull over and look at the stars
close my eyes and relax
sometimes 5 minutes of sleep saves lives

ask yourself “why am I alive?”
“in this body”
“on this planet”
”in this galaxy”
“at this time”
“Why me?”

and open your eyes
imagine all
the
possibilities

To Cleave

So much touch. It hurts.
Bending in. Stars surrounded by black space.

The soul I had, once abandoned, now
alive again, straining to be heard. To feel a
valued part of something larger. Seeking to let God in.

The flesh with its concerns. The friend of hers
dying. The cancer, slowed, sped up, an operation
to cut it out, followed by a massive stroke. He hovers
on the edge of his abyss. She cries. I am alert
to it. The world ends now.

My disease communicates within. Hating
itself for what it is, living inside as long as I go on.
Surviving though I do not feed it what it says it needs.
Even this part of me suffers when it gets what it
wants of me.
I cannot win.

You will lose even me. It is the nature of
things to come.

Good and bad in you. And me. It is not what
we touch so much as how we cleave. Do we feel what
it is I see? And what of Arthur’s death?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Patrick J. Leach
• Release date: Mar 31, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310473470

Patrick J. Leach

Patrick J. Leach lives in Portland, Oregon. An artist and a writer, Leach has written professionally for companies and universities. He is co-author with Frances Price Cook of a biography, The life and Art of C.S. Price.In 1995 he abandoned the corporate life, focusing on painting and poetry while earning money caring for neighborhood yards and homes.Leach has published over 16 books of poetry and art, available in print and eBook formats. Watch for more of his books combining his unique blend of poetry and art.Leach studied creative writing (poetry) at Cornell University (B.S. General Studies, 1972), and holds two Masters degrees from Washington State University (Sociology, Education). "I've always considered myself a writer. I've taken many paths, tried a variety of occupations, always returning to writing and art."

Book preview

A Book of Poetry and Art

Copyright © 2013 by Patrick J. Leach

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form whatsoever.

Images and text may be used in other publications only with written permission from the author, Patrick J. Leach.

Properly attributed brief quotations may be used listing the author’s name, title of poem, and publication.

ISBN:  9781310473470

Publisher:  Smashwords, Inc.

Acknowledgements

Graphic design and computer layout:

Hilary Doran and Charlie Blackmore

Photos:

David DeWert and Patrick Leach

Editing:

Amy Jarvis and Linda Anglin

Please visit me at my website:  patleachartist.com

Published or soon to be published books include:

The Tangle of Meanings,

Meditations on the Mysteries of Life,

Bare Trees, A Book of Poetry

Meditations on the Mysteries of Life

The Tangle of Meanings

Paintings of Patrick J. Leach, Volume One

Patrick J. Leach, Paintings Volume Two

Patrick J. Leach, Paintings Volume Three

Blue

The Weight of the World

The Symphony of Being

The River of Life

Whirlpools of Silence

Dreamer

Morning Stillness

Snowflakes Gently Falling

The Life and Art of C. S. Price (with Frances Price Cook)

∞

This book is dedicated to the Creator of

this vast sea of stars in which we are immersed –

a good friend, and confidence builder in my life.

Preface

In my life I have felt lost, alone, at the mercy of huge and powerful forces. The universe seemed a hostile, dangerous, vast and complex place. Helplessness, depression, fragility, and feelings of loss of control have dogged me.

One night I was camping out, lying on the grass in total darkness in a remote mountain area. The stars were out with no city lights to obscure their brilliance. My friend showed me how to use his binoculars to see the Andromeda Galaxy. Even with the powerful magnification, the cluster looked small, but it had the distinct and recognizable shape of a spiral galaxy. Everywhere I looked, millions of stars scattered across the sky, seeming to go on forever. I was overcome by an acute awareness of just how vast and magnificent is our universe. As I peered out at a tiny fraction, I realized how small I am.

At age 44 I was