Moonbeam III
the moonbeam would not stay dead for long
because i was able to source a new bulb
a bulb with the same warmth and kindness as
the old incandescent bulb but with the might
of the new LED bulb
though it came with sacrifices,
as a part of the moonbeam would be lost
lost to take lithium-ion batteries
ripped from its history, and fast-tracked
to modern use
but my need for a moonbeam would evolve
just like i moved away from surplus
towards more dedicated tools
like a nice headlamp, quite convenient
though its use limited
and i stopped camping
so i didn't need a moonbeam to light up
a freezing cold latrine anymore //
the moonbeam could not outrun obsolescence
no matter how hard i tried to get it
to do so
because i outgrew my moonbeam
left behind in a new world
a phosphor world of green and teal
magnitudes more expensive
but with magnitudes more potential
than anything the moonbeam could muster
the soft glow could do little in the face of
image intensification
forget the headlamp, or any light
this was a // paradigm shift
seeing without being seen
owning the night, in a way few can fathom
a new hobby, intoxicating and exhilarating all the same
the moonbeam could not expose the heavens
nor could it be used for a daily commute along an unlit road
and it just didn't look as cool
as its successor
but the moonbeam was not forgotten
despite being superseded, it still
had its place in my inventory
because its long battery life had been extended
as to be hundreds, if not thousands of hours
it transcended death
by virtue of never needing maintenance
it refused to fade away
an AN/PVS-14 can't be used to look for
items under a couch or bed
in fact, due to the extremely shallow
depth of field
searching for anything is impossble
plus the phosphor world is monochromatic
how was i supposed to pick an outfit when all
my clothes are varying shades
of a disconcerting green?
the moonbeam cares little about trauma.
while the PVS-14s were ruggedized for
military use, the moonbeam
was combat proven to be nigh indestructible
a flame that never goes out //
perhaps a triumph?
or is it just endurance
surviving in a future that was ready to move on
but unwilling to be left behind
and in this feat, my humble moonbeam
has well earned its place
so i continue to pack it
a survivor of changing times,
changing priorities
and an impatient user
maybe not thriving and actively being used
but relevant all the same
irreplaceable
i used to cycle through flashlights. quite often
actually, i had actually never been able
to keep the same flashlight in my use for longer than a
handful of months
first a NEBO combination green/white/laser
then a successor incorporating UV to the green/white/laser
followed a string of cheap and semi-disposable lights
and i thought i had settled on a HUSKY brand light
but then i discovered the 1000 lumen scuba lamp
which would be superseded by a portable spotlight, a 2500 lumen beast
it took up too much space, so i went searching again
and that's when the moonbeam appeared.
the headlight never did supplant it fully, and to be technical
a headlight isn't a handheld flashlight
and neither was the onboard IR illuminator on a PVS-14
which means, the moonbeam is my longest serving light
a veteran of countless adventures
miserable fun, and fun misery all the same
it remained by my side all these years
standing tall, and shining bright //
night vision is neat, but sometimes
all you need is a moonbeam.