The Astronomer

The stars rise high above the bay
And filter down through ocean spray
A path that wanders up and down
Past the dunes and sleeping town
Across the silver frosted field
Where the blackened firs shield
And there beneath a darkened dome
The astronomer watches all alone

In a world of lunatics
He has no time for politics
Lives in wonder of the skies
Sees the world through open eyes
Beyond the frontiers of the land
Beyond the air and sea and sand
There's a world outside our own
And it belongs to him alone

Turn down the lights
The dome starts to spin
Open the shutter
Let the starlight in
He'll tell us the story
Of how it began
And how it will end
In its master plan

Before the first rays cross the bay
Before Orion fades away
Before the sand dunes turn to gold
And fairways into emerald
On a path that travels down
Past the burn and waking town
A man is slowly heading home
The astronomer's work tonight is done