"starman" poems
here's to the glam rock messiah of outsiders and misfits,
the androgynous man of the stars with the music.
born in brixton,
he traveled the universe by spaceships and soundwaves
with wild hair and one eye dilated.
book-loving and queer,
in love with the thought of turning 50.
the world had never seen a man
living different lives at once,
but here the starman came reinventing himself:
ziggy stardust, thin white duke, aladdin sane, major tom—
all different selves tied together by his heart.
he lived his earthly mission, rightfully so
that even the gravity of the world could not keep him put.
so on and on he strummed his guitar and crawled on stage,
in spaceboots and dresses, in porcelain doll makeup,
reaching out to all the nobody and somebody people
but one day his cosmic vessel
was taken down by a secret sickness
and halted his mission here on earth,
and so the streets and little bars smelling of cigars
were flooded by the ones who mourned,
who looked up to the stars,
wondering where their starman went.
the world had never seen such an electric creature,
but here the star man came in music and dance,
saying it was alright to be weird—
to embrace strangeness
in a world where every earthling wanted to be the same.
and perhaps, he isn't really long gone:
his time here may have ended
but now he is out there, somewhere,
on some distant star,
watching over the Earth as he always has.
Feb 13, 2017
Feb 13, 2017 at 11:31 AM UTC
It's humbling to look
Up at the stars, the
Gorgeous night sky.
Humbling to think,
Someone revoling one of those stars
Is staring back at me.
Mar 10, 2024
Mar 10, 2024 at 8:24 PM UTC
one of the first songs i learnt to play on a guitar
was about a guy in space
while planet earth was blue
and there was nothing he could do
so he came back
and wrote a bunch more songs i can can play on a guitar
about heathens and spaceboys
and a guy called picasso
who was never an *******
but never came back
and in between he morphed a few times
assumed many guises
genies, heroes and dancers
rebels, dreamers and monsters
and never looked back
and i chuckle to think that up there on mars
whoever he's selling the world to
be it all the young dudes
or you in your red shoes
needn't give it back
i feel grateful for being part of it
all you've left behind
at least one thing is sure
there isn't any more pressure
and i've got your back
Jan 16, 2016
Jan 16, 2016 at 8:17 AM UTC
It's a space oddity
for all that this came too
for the man who sold the world
should have sold it all to you
Let's dance, for we are heroes
we know there's life on Mars
you our dear modern love
now dance amongst the stars
You were a rebel, rebel starman
without you our world changes
ashes to ashes, dust to dust
Your body, your soul exchanges
We know you're still alive
but where are we now?
Maybe next a china girl?
we'll meet again somehow
Jan 28, 2016
Jan 28, 2016 at 12:50 PM UTC
StarMan out in the great beyond
How you touched us all with your luminous song
The wondrous echos of your voice fades only in the presence of time
As the man who fell to earth
You left a mark
On each of our down trodden hearts
StarMan out in the great beyond
Always here and never gone.
Jan 11, 2017
Jan 11, 2017 at 5:31 PM UTC
Most of us don’t even manage
To become a hero, just for one day
But the Starman came, he saw, he conquered
He blew our minds
A creative centipede
A shapeshifter
A kook
A man who sold his image to the world
And showed us that heroes still exist
Jan 11, 2016
Jan 11, 2016 at 2:51 AM UTC
just an ode a eulogy to the man who
brought us "Ziggy Stardust" .
"Starman" and so many more great songs.
David Bowie ,David Jones
rest in peace.
You spent your life creating
reinventing.
"Planet earth is Blue and there is nothing I can do"
Jan 11, 2016
Jan 11, 2016 at 3:18 AM UTC
Traversing the constellations that unite our worlds
of light and dark,
I seek refuge in the ephemeral soul that is you.
Although our time together is fleeting
such as any and every star that reaches my observation,
I still adore the intertwining of divinity
with that of mundane creatures, like myself.
the salient life that emerges from this phantasmagoria
is priceless in every respect because it comes from you,
who inspires me to dance amongst the nebulous gala
perhaps we will collide
and we will swirl into the abyss of everlasting night
or collapse and rebirth a new universe.
Nonetheless, we will meet one day
my muse, my treasure island,
my farthest star.
Jan 14, 2019
Jan 14, 2019 at 12:49 AM UTC
Dear Starman,
now that you've left
our world
to reach yours
I'm Happy.
Now that you can
dream
like a martian
and travel
across
the galaxies
and dance
through
the Venus
moons
I'm Happy.
The Earth is always blue
up there
isn't it?
Goodbye
dear Starman
(11-1-16 Rest in peace Mr Bowie)
Jan 12, 2016
Jan 12, 2016 at 3:36 PM UTC
immortal, almost - starman
Feb 12, 2018
Feb 12, 2018 at 9:54 PM UTC
I remember when you were so tiny
You were fascinated by the moon
We hung a sky of golden stars
On the ceiling of your room.
You tied strings from star to star
Making star patterns yet unknown.
Became a bedtime spaceman.
That in your stars you roamed.
I think of the very first time
You went outside in dark of night
To look at the spangled heavens
And Bathe in their magic light.
Your wide eyes saw earth’s ceiling
With a billion stars so bright.
It send your tiny heart reeling
On that clear and wondrous night.
The stars told you they loved you
Every planet star and all
But you were frightened of them
They made you feel so small.
You could not change the constellations
In the space beyond the sky.
And the feeling of being so tiny
Almost made you cry.
But listen, little traveler.
There’s something you must know
The minute that you were born on earth.
A new star began to glow
Jul 27, 2018
Jul 27, 2018 at 3:39 AM UTC
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
" ******* up eyes and ******* down hairdo."
Acceptance
Hunky Dory
" It's the freakiest show."
Clairvoyance
The Next Day
" As Long As There's Sun, As Long As There's Rain."
Hope
Aladdin sane
"Watch that man! Oh honey, watch that man."
Diverse
Young Americans
" His ever loving face smiles on the whole human race."
Peace
Station to station
"Don't let me hear you say life's taking you nowhere"
Believing
Diamond dogs
"When you rock 'n' roll with me. No one else I'd rather be."
Love
Low
"Sometimes you get so lonely, Sometimes you get nowhere."
Individuality
Pin ups
"Let me hold your hand and be your loving man"
Security
Earthling
"There's nothing in our eyes, as lonely as a moon."
Afraid
Scary Monsters (And super creeps)
"I'm happy, hope you're happy too. I've loved all I've needed love."
Loss
Lets dance
"If you say run, I'll run with you."
Escape
The man who sold the world
" Oh no, Not me. I never lost control."
Regret
Labyrinth
"How you turn my world, you precious thing."
Imagination
Heroes
" We can be Heroes. Just for one day."
Heroic
Hours
"I guess we lived it out. Something in the air. We smiled too fast."
Missed
Blackstar
" Look up here, I’m in heaven, I’ve got scars that can’t be seen."
Satisfaction
Mar 15, 2016
Mar 15, 2016 at 10:36 AM UTC
I opened the airlock and stared into the blackness of space.
It's cold on my skin as the look of blue and purple creep up my fingertips.
I hold on to the latch and try to maintain my gravity.
All it takes
I breathe in no air.
One Step
I've told myself over and over. If i step out i'm never going back..
But how will i know?
WHEEZE WHEEZE
If i never step out then i'll never know what could've happened.
I take a step-step-step out.
cough
wheeze
cough
I take a step-step-step out.
Starman save me.
wheeze
And crawling on the planets face,
Insects called the human race.
Lost in time.
Lost in space.
And meaning.
Jun 1, 2016
Jun 1, 2016 at 10:09 AM UTC
Oh! You Pretty Thing
First time I saw you I thought Watch That Man
I really wish he'd Rock N Roll with me All Nite
because he looks like he's coming straight out of 1985.
Unfortunately It Ain't Easy since you already got this China Girl
but Where Are We Now? We made some Changes
and finally Here Comes The Night we'll be turning down the lights
covered in Ziggy Stardust, Dancing In The Streets, I never felt so right.
I'm a Rebel Rebel living on a Blackstar
you say Love Is Lost and just like you I Can't Give Everything Away
but I now that All The Young Dudes ain't got a thing on you
right now I'm in the Quicksand and can't find a way through.
I'll be your Lady Stardust, you'll be my Starman
we can be Heroes just for one night, or we can be us just for one day
so come on, let's go rattle the stars
And, maybe, in Five Years
we'll discover if there really is Life on Mars?
May 16, 2017
May 16, 2017 at 6:56 PM UTC
The Starman rose,
He created Changes all around,
There was Dancing in the Street,
And we all saw something new.
He became Iconic.
Rebel Rebel to the norms and stigmas we knew.
We found Golden Years in the lilt of his voice.
And we were happy.
But Heroes cannot stay forever.
Eventually they must ascend.
A final Magic Dance for all to see.
A legend we lost this day.
Now we face this question,
Where Are We Now?
We're without him
The Man Who Sold the World.
We have to go on, left on this earth,
This suspended rock holding life.
Our own little Space Oddity.
Rest easy Starman,
We'll take it from here.
Jan 11, 2016
Jan 11, 2016 at 11:06 AM UTC
A great mind departs into the winter's night-sky
wreaths and shrines adorning the ground where he may lie
died doing what he done best, knowing his time had come
now he traverses the stars with Ziggy and Major Tom
sitting in his tin can far above the likes of you and me
gazing upon our world through tears, alas now he's free -
wanted eagles in his daydreams, diamonds in his eyes
escaping the black side of reality he so very much despised
['Look up here man I'm in danger
I've got nothing left to lose.']
carried away upon a tidal wave of fame
albums meant nothing 'cause they'll sell again,
defying sexuality, pioneering the glam-rock scene
achieving goals only the common man can dream
['Ground control to Major Tom -
your circuit's dead, there's something wrong!']
now his voice is followed by the chilling whisper of death,
sang to the end with his very last breath
body failing but soul very much alive
empty silence filled with his hazy cosmic jive -
and yes, years will pass from this day, but we will never forget who you are
farewell Ziggy Stardust
our brilliant shining Blackstar.
AJ
["I'm happy... hope you're happy too..."]
RIP David Bowie
Jan 11, 2016
Jan 11, 2016 at 4:27 PM UTC
In memory of David Bowie, died 8 January 2016: ‘Second star to the right, and straight on till morning’.
In the blue midnight
A crown of stars
Lights on the head
Of winter-king, summer-king,
Oak and holly,
In the blue midnight
Wheeling and gliding
On glassy waters;
Up and out, down and back,
Turning the year.
In the blue midnight
Time’s hand is cold,
Eternity’s colder;
But infinite skies
Diamond-bright, featherlight,
In the blue midnight
Open the path,
leading us home.
Jan 30, 2017
Jan 30, 2017 at 3:17 AM UTC
And I cry
for so many losses
so many ties
that burn, that bind
waving in a lit-up
trail of dark..
there is the Starman
now up above in his glory
his beautiful music forever
penetrating
our souls
There is the precious love
of a friend, gone her way
leaving him to mourn her glow
So many others..actors,
musicians of our youth
And what of my precious love?
He lives. Yes, he lives
yet is no longer
mine, perhaps
never was
just an illusion of light
in my ever long tunnel
of sparkling darkness.
And now
I gather up
the shards
put back together
my heart of
glass
Jan 18, 2016
Jan 18, 2016 at 3:58 PM UTC