smoke the stars
put them into a laurel leaf
as you would tuck your precious child into bed
wrap them up tightly and protect them from the hostile darkness surrounding us

pluck an aeroplane from the sky
dismantle it's metal exterior to leave only the body
use it as a filter, keeping the stars safe
as you hold them between your delicate fingers

set your golden cigar on fire
using erupting volcanoes to light it
and as you breathe in the galaxies and the history of the world
you breath out the clouds, overwhelmed by relief

gently tapping the cold areoplane body
whilst you watch the ashes fall as shooting stars
which cut through the darkness
and scatter onto the Earth like glitter

and as you smoke the stars
your lungs are lined with golden dust
dust of the kings and emperors
dust of the stars