Rainbow Star

by Mary Brunini McArdle

Sol’s amber beams are seen by day,
As is the First Star’s innate right;
To view the distant galaxies
Must wait the hours for full-fledged night;

(Although the not-stars could appear
At sunset — Venus in pale rose;
And Mars, the warrior, just below,
With his dull, bloody visage glows.)

But Zeta Puppis’ burning blue’s
Superior to Vega’s white,
And azure Rigel’s flashing flames
Are purer than a candle’s light.

Orange Aldebaran faintly shines,
While Betelguese’s crimson shade’s
A match for Mira’s scarlet rays,
And Canopus to flaxen fades.

But that one to the quadrant east
Glints with a hint of royal blue,
Then red, then violet, green, and gold —
A mongrel star of motley hue;

Set like a prism on a shelf
Of velvet in the black night sky —
A brilliant diamond in its box
Against the august backdrop lies.