Stars Don’t Shine in the City Anymore
a poem about growing up, lost wonder, and the silence of modern life
I used to count stars
like secrets,
Spilled across the sky
by a universe too full to hold them.
I used to lie on the rooftop
of my grandfather’s house,
The night air pressing gently on my skin—
Cool, quiet, kind.
Back then,
The sky felt endless.
And I still believed
That wishing on stars meant something.
But now—
The city buzzes louder than my thoughts.
Light pours from windows
And flickers from phone screens
While the sky above me
Remains empty.
No stars.
Just smog and satellites,
Fake moons and forgotten dreams.
I stand on concrete
Where grass used to grow,
And whisper to a sky
That doesn’t answer anymore.
I don’t make wishes now—
I scroll.
I tap.
I watch strangers dance
In tiny boxes
Hoping to feel
Something.
I miss the silence
That used to speak louder than words.
I miss the way darkness
Could still hold light.
I miss the stars—
And the child I was
When I believed
They were only mine.
Because stars don’t shine
In the city anymore.
And sometimes,
I wonder if I still do.
About the Creator
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