Conker Season
I came across a conker,
split it open-
inside, a galaxy pulsed.
To my surprise,
the pavement glittered
with abandoned worlds,
whole and scattered,
like forgotten marbles.
I gathered what I could,
pockets swelling with stars,
and carried them home.
There, I laid them gently,
fed them scraps of light,
asked them questions—
tiny oracles humming
answers in constellations.
Erin Owens