They Have Not Seen the Stars

They have not seen the stars, 
Not one, not one 
Of all the creatures on this world 
In all the ages since the sands 
First touched the wind, 
Not one, not one, 
No beast of all the beasts has stood 
On meadowland or plain or hill 
And known the thrill of looking at those fires. 
Our soul admires what they, 
Oh, they, have never known. 
Five billion years have flown 
In turnings of the spheres, 
But not once in all those years 
Has lion, dog, or bird that sweeps the air 
Looked there, oh, look. Looked there. 
Ah, God, the stars. Oh, look, there! 

It is as if all time had never been, 
Nor Universe or Sun or Moon 
Or simple morning light. 
Those beasts, their tragedy was mute and blind, 
And so remains. Our sight? 
Yes, ours? to know now what we are. 

But think of it, then choose. Now, which? 
Born to raw Earth, inhabiting a scene, 
And all of it no sooner viewed, erased, 
As if these miracles had never been? 
Vast circlings of sounding fire and frost, 
And all when focused, what? as quickly lost? 

Or us, in fragile flesh, with God's new eyes 
That lift and comprehend and search the skies? 
We watch the seasons drifting in the lunar tide 
And know the years, remembering what's died.

 by Ray Bradbury