I used to think stars were lost people trapped in the sky
Like somehow their thoughts led them so far off the beaten path that they winded up there
I spent nights thinking of ways I could reach them because things down here didn't seem as fun as being so close to God
I thought they were the lucky ones
The ones who didn't have to witness pain or hard times like I did on earth
The ones who seemed to know their place
The ones who never had to answer to anyone
They just shined because they wanted to
Being down here meant looking up at them with envy
Stars were not stars
They were people
With stories and pasts and wisdom that took them to high places
They were kings and queens and that's why some were bigger than others
If you looked close enough you could see the trail they left behind
As if they were leaving a path for others to follow
I used to think that when someone died they became stars
They were brought to the sky to watch over everyone
To shine a small light in total darkness
Making sure that we kept our heads up
I saw them move as if they were trying to reach us
I grew up to learn about the vast universe and noticed how I felt smaller and smaller after each science class
Stars became ***** of light and energy instead of people
And looking at lost people turned into looking at constellations that I hoped would show me the way home
The universe changed for me
It became this mystery that questioned my faith and seemed to leave me more confused
It answered questions on how the Earth was formed
But left me lost on the ones stuck in my own brain
They forced me to see the world in a different way
Taking pieces of my imagination and throwing it up there so my thoughts would get lost and I would lose track of time
My mind expanded like the milky way and stretched far beyond the visible sky
Don't let me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon
Stars are still people to me
And one day I will become one too