AS  WE  CROSS THE MOUNTAIN, WE  CAN WALK 
 ONLY  AT NIGHT.  LONG  AGO, SOMEONE HERE 
 MUST'VE  ANGERED  THE  SUN, AND TODAY IT 
 STILL BURNS US  STRANGELY. BUT  WITH THE 
 SUNSET THE AIR COMES  RAINING BACK  DOWN 
 AND  GETS THICK  ENOUGH  TO BREATHE.  IT 
 CARRIES  WITH IT  SMELLS  FROM FAR AWAY, 
 COLOURFUL SPARKS FOR THE IMAGINATION,  A 
 SHARP CONTRAST  FOR  THE  STALE BLACK OF 
 THE NIGHT.                               
                                          
 THE OTHERS THINK I'M YOUNG,  THEY  DON'T 
 TAKE  ME  SERIOUSLY  AND   I  FEAR  THEY 
 SNICKER  A  BIT.  YOU  USUALLY  GET  OLD 
 BEFORE YOU LEARN  THE  TRADE  ENOUGH  TO 
 TAKE OTHER  PEOPLE.  BUT I  DO LEAD THEM 
 SAFELY     FORWARD,     EVERY     NIGHT. 
                                          
 HOWEVER,  CURRENTLY THERE  SEEMS  TO  BE 
 SOMETHING  GOING ON AHEAD.  THOSE AROUND 
 THE   CORNER  HAVE  STOPPED,   SHOUTING, 
 POINTING.                                
                                          
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                                          
 MY GREATEST TREASURE, THE                
 BOOK OF STARS,   IS   A   COMBINED  MAP, 
 CALENDAR AND  TIMEPIECE AS  LONG  AS YOU 
 KNOW WHAT YEAR  IT IS.  EVERY PAGE  IS A 
 GRID  OF NINE  STARFIELDS,  HAND  DRAWN, 
 BELOW WHICH  ARE WRITTEN  COORDINATES IN 
 BOTH SPACE AND TIME.  A  LOT  OF  IT  IS 
 APPLICABLE  ON  EARTH, BUT  NOT ALL.  IT 
 HINTS  OF  OTHER  PLACES  -  SOME  STARS 
 REORDERED,  SOME  NAMES  I  HAVE   NEVER 
 HEARD.    SOMETIMES   THE    DATES   ARE 
 IMPOSSIBLE.                              
                                          
 THOSE PAGES  ARE EXACTLY WHAT I SCRAMBLE 
 FOR RIGHT  NOW. I'VE  STOPPED BREATHING. 
 I SLING  OPEN THE  BOOK  OF  STARS A BIT 
 TOO QUICK, SPILLING  ALL MY NOTES ON THE 
 GROUND. ONE LANDS ON  MY  FOOT, IT IS  A 
 DRAWING  OF  A  MUSCLE COW, BUT  I COULD 
 CARE LESS RIGHT NOW.                     
                                          
 FOR IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S  A NEW MOON IN 
 THE SKY.