cosmology

i know it’s just the afterimage —
the spark is long gone.
i did the math
consulted standard candles
the average lifespan
of stars that shine
like you do.

i didn’t like the news.

you were never
a star.
not even
a planet.
just a rogue
Chinese
satellite —
forever my
misleading
man-made
mirage.

you never kept
your manufactured promise
but my treacherous eyes
still scan the sky
just in case
you’ve changed your mind