Stars

It’s easy catching stars
when they fall
up 

or when hanging
up
side
down 

or floating
on a leaf—
an impeccable reflection. 

It’s easy hooking stars
with proper bait
and when they bite,
you reel and reel
and there is no fight
because stars are never sure
what is up
or down
or where to swim
when a wish snags them. 

The key to stars
is pretending not to hope,
to keep your fingers crossed
because then they come
fish
in a tickle.