Hold Constant

It’s just possible
To recognize stars
By name, since they hold
Constant relative
To one another.

The planets wander,
But reliably
Enough to name them,
Too, and the phases,
Of course, of the moon.

Meteors flash once.
They don’t, can’t get names.
Nothing holds constant
About them, except
Resembling others.

And there you are—what
In resemblance is
Constant, not constant?
What are you stashing
In your jars of names?

Hold your thoughts to this
Problem of sameness.
Odd how even kinds
Of same all differ.
Mars. Sirius. Bursts.