‘Star Festival’: A Poem by Margaret Coats

Star

The legend of the love of a heavenly weaver girl and an earthly
cowherd was recorded in the Eastern Han dynasty 2000 years
ago. Stars of the Summer Triangle are Vega (weaver girl), Altair
(cowherd), and Deneb (bridge). The emperor of heaven allowed
the lovers to meet one day a year by crossing the Milky Way
on the seventh day of the seventh month in the Chinese lunar
calendar, which is August 19 this year. The celebration is
known as the Star Festival or Qixi. It is also observed
(sometimes by composing poems) in Korea, Japan, and
Vietnam—but not if the day is rainy.

The scorching afternoon will dim and cool
As earth below rolls on in torrid weather.
The Weaver Maid and Cowherd greet their day;
Clouds disappear for one enchanted evening.
Her woven silk, his wealth of milk and cream
Earn brilliance for their Summer Star Triangle:
Deneb, as Bridge, shines toward the other two.

Vega and Altair spend rare time together
Swimming in heaven’s river, the Milky Way.
Amazed stargazers see their love achieving
An incandescent happiness supreme,
And wish romantic starlight would bespangle
Them too; they hang their hopes on tall bamboo,
Writ in calligraphy of many a school.

The colored papers flutter, an array
Requesting skill in lyric or in weaving
Or in the Cowherd’s careful craft. His dream
Had won the Weaver Princess to entangle
Her beams with his, till starshine grew and grew;
The seventh night of the seventh month, by rule
Of heaven’s emperor, they glow together.

Their love, the ruler knew, had been receiving
Attention owed to work, for stars agleam
Should show befitting brightness, yet not mangle
Their beauties through an untoward rendezvous.
Star duties spark for each of them a tool
To brighten summer splendor when together
In gauzy garments, drinking healthy whey.

Iced noodles for the steamy evening seem
Comfort food; from festive bowls they dangle,
A luscious supper served on earth anew
When white-hot pinpoints glint in a sapphire pool
Above, with background shades of plum and heather
Rotating slow, the universe at play;
Star lovers smile, their radiant joys retrieving.

The Cowherd wonders whether he can wangle
Mementos the Maiden weaves, for a worldly few
Stray cows he’s lost, who might just ridicule
Affection shared one day a year together.
His Princess loves him more than she can say;
Though time is short, she wouldn’t think of leaving
Until she gives him scarves to prove esteem.

The night sky still appears clear cobalt blue;
The Milky Way, a mist of bridal tulle.
Next year, they yearn, will bring no drizzling weather
In lands that scan the heavens on this day,
For Vega and her Altair will be grieving
On either side of the night’s wide silver stream,
If love can’t overcome a rainy wrangle.

Margaret Coats lives in California.  She holds a Ph.D. in English and American Literature and Language from Harvard University.  She has retired from a career of teaching literature, languages, and writing that included considerable work in homeschooling for her own family and others.