Stars Don’t Shine in the City Anymore

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.