What if it were jealous?

What if the moon had no light and couldn’t be seen, that it were there, but invisible?

What if the moon were like that, surrounded by stars that shone brightly?

Mightn’t it be jealous?

And, what if the moon was hungry and it swallowed a star? And, what if the star didn’t mind?

Wouldn’t the moon have a little light? Wouldn’t we notice it? Wouldn’t it look new?

And wouldn’t the moon feel proud that we noticed?

So what if the moon swallowed another star? And another? Wouldn’t it get brighter, bigger, fuller? Wouldn’t the stars all around disappear from view? Wouldn’t we only notice the fullness of the moon?

And what if the moon became greedy for star light and swallow one more? And one more?
And one more?
Until it was really full?

And then it swallowed one more?

Wouldn’t it burst?

Wouldn’t all the stars tumble forth in riotous disorder?

Maybe to fall to earth?

And wouldn’t the moon be dark and unseen? Wouldn’t the earth be dark and unseen?

And what if someone on the earth lit a fire to lighten that darkness and watched the flames leap into the night?

Wouldn’t there be sparks among the flames?

And wouldn’t we watch those sparks rise into the night sky?

Wouldn’t they look like tiny stars, just reborn?

And mightn’t they rise and mightn’t they grow as they rise, until they were bright and high?

And wouldn’t we marvel at them?

Maybe it’s like that?

But what if the moon were jealous?