I'm not a shooting star

[plasmid]

When scheduled to shine, from horizons we rise

Now airborne traversing the darkest of skies

With people observing our tortuous route

We're giving direction to those most astute

Our tails recapitulate paths where we flowed

As screaming across, over time we erode

'til nothing but brightness is left in our wake

And then, even that will the darkness retake

To those who have gathered, while brilliance persists

Behold exhibitions you don't want to miss

Ignoring the airplanes, just gaze on our light

Maintaining a silence, or scorn you'll incite

Remember, if anything hoping to reap

You'd better avoid being lulled off to sleep

[Guest]

This is such a great riddle that I'm sure I'm nowhere near correct on my answer, but that there is an absolutely brilliant answer that we will someday figure out.

When scheduled to shine, from horizons we rise – water vapor forming a rainbow; also, clouds during sunrise/sunsets

Now airborne traversing the darkest of skies – water vapor forming clouds

With people observing our tortuous route—people watch the clouds (storms)

We're giving direction to those most astute – weathermen, perhaps; also, rivers and streams direct/have directed people to water sources, waterfalls, and civilization

Our tails recapitulate paths where we flowed – river/stream beds, caves, canyons formed by water flows

As screaming across, over time we erode—caves erode by water droplets; also, underground rivers, etc. -- waterfalls erode quite loudly; rain roars and also erodes

'til nothing but brightness is left in our wake – cave finally erodes to daylight

And then, even that will the darkness retake – night falls, regardless

To those who have gathered, while brilliance persists

Behold exhibitions you don't want to miss-- waterfall

Ignoring the airplanes, just gaze on our light—the sun shines on clouds at sunset, sometimes planes fly by but people don’t notice, or try to ignore it

Maintaining a silence, or scorn you'll incite—people are angry when people talk during sunrises/sunsets

Remember, if anything hoping to reap—rain falls on crops to make them grow

You'd better avoid being lulled off to sleep – water lulls people to sleep, but it also drowns, people say drowning is a little like falling asleep

Right now, I’m thinking water/water vapor/clouds/rain/acid rain

I realize I've taken quite a bit of liberty with my answer, and that other answers are probably closer, but it is what it is.

[plasmid]

This is such a great riddle that I'm sure I'm nowhere near correct on my answer, but that there is an absolutely brilliant answer that we will someday figure out.

When scheduled to shine, from horizons we rise – water vapor forming a rainbow; also, clouds during sunrise/sunsets

Now airborne traversing the darkest of skies – water vapor forming clouds

With people observing our tortuous route—people watch the clouds (storms)

We're giving direction to those most astute – weathermen, perhaps; also, rivers and streams direct/have directed people to water sources, waterfalls, and civilization

Our tails recapitulate paths where we flowed – river/stream beds, caves, canyons formed by water flows

As screaming across, over time we erode—caves erode by water droplets; also, underground rivers, etc. -- waterfalls erode quite loudly; rain roars and also erodes

'til nothing but brightness is left in our wake – cave finally erodes to daylight

And then, even that will the darkness retake – night falls, regardless

To those who have gathered, while brilliance persists

Behold exhibitions you don't want to miss-- waterfall

Ignoring the airplanes, just gaze on our light—the sun shines on clouds at sunset, sometimes planes fly by but people don’t notice, or try to ignore it

Maintaining a silence, or scorn you'll incite—people are angry when people talk during sunrises/sunsets

Remember, if anything hoping to reap—rain falls on crops to make them grow

You'd better avoid being lulled off to sleep – water lulls people to sleep, but it also drowns, people say drowning is a little like falling asleep

Right now, I’m thinking water/water vapor/clouds/rain/acid rain

I realize I've taken quite a bit of liberty with my answer, and that other answers are probably closer, but it is what it is.

Wow, it definitely is what it is, which is quite an imaginative answer. It can be made to fit, but if you were to go up to someone and tell them that answer without the explanation, they would probably be pretty incredulous, particularly with lines seven and eight. (White water rapids might also work there, but getting retaken by darkness...) I've got something in mind that will require little if any explanation and should hopefully give that mental click where you just know that you've got it.

[Wilson]

Laser Light Show?

[plasmid]

Laser Light Show?

Aren't those done with rock songs? Definitely no silence.

[tiger_lily111]

non-linear description of a night football game!

When scheduled to shine, from horizons we rise doesn't matter what else is going on, the game starts on time

Now airborne traversing the darkest of skies kickoff

With people observing our tortuous route fans watching as the teams attempt to reach the end zone

We're giving direction to those most astute switch-off end zones at each quarter; good players know what their opposition will attempt

Our tails recapitulate paths where we flowed tailbacks = run behind their blockers and through/over whoever is in front of them

As screaming across, over time we erode fans should be making noise; usually one team is running the clock down sometime during the game

'til nothing but brightness is left in our wake when the game is over the lights are still on

And then, even that will the darkness retake till everybody leaves, then they're turned off

To those who have gathered, while brilliance persists most fans stay the whole game

Behold exhibitions you don't want to miss hit 'em again, harder! and hopefully see your team win

Ignoring the airplanes, just gaze on our light many have a fly-over during pre-game festivities

Maintaining a silence, or scorn you'll incite usually coupled with the national anthem &/or moment of silence

Remember, if anything hoping to reap if you want to feel involved in the game, if you want to help your team win

You'd better avoid being lulled off to sleep even if it's boring, yell your heart out! it's never over till it's over

[plasmid]

When scheduled to shine, from horizons we rise doesn't matter what else is going on, the game starts on time

Now airborne traversing the darkest of skies kickoff

With people observing our tortuous route fans watching as the teams attempt to reach the end zone

We're giving direction to those most astute switch-off end zones at each quarter; good players know what their opposition will attempt

Our tails recapitulate paths where we flowed tailbacks = run behind their blockers and through/over whoever is in front of them

As screaming across, over time we erode fans should be making noise; usually one team is running the clock down sometime during the game

'til nothing but brightness is left in our wake when the game is over the lights are still on

And then, even that will the darkness retake till everybody leaves, then they're turned off

To those who have gathered, while brilliance persists most fans stay the whole game

Behold exhibitions you don't want to miss hit 'em again, harder! and hopefully see your team win

Ignoring the airplanes, just gaze on our light many have a fly-over during pre-game festivities

Maintaining a silence, or scorn you'll incite usually coupled with the national anthem &/or moment of silence

Remember, if anything hoping to reap if you want to feel involved in the game, if you want to help your team win

You'd better avoid being lulled off to sleep even if it's boring, yell your heart out! it's never over till it's over

non-linear description of a night football game!

Imaginative, but the 12th line and especially the last line are a real stretch; not something you would generally think of if you were told that answer.

Let's see, I originally posted this on Friday night (my time) so any weekday warriors out there might not have had a crack at it yet. I'll give them a chance before posting clues.

[plainglazed]

why are there airplanes in the planetarium?

[plasmid]

why are there airplanes in the planetarium?

To exclude it as a possible answer, of course.

[Guest]

mobile on a baby bed

[Guest]

stars?

[plasmid]

mobile on a baby bed

No, those shouldn't really erode.

stars?

Too close to the title's exclusion.

Now it's the end of the working day over most of the US, so I'll go ahead and give a hint. I couldn't really think of a great way of hinting without pretty much giving it away, so I'm going to try something a little different: color coding which parts I'm interpreting more literally (blue) and which ones are more figurative or somehow call for typical riddler trickery to interpret (red).

When scheduled to shine, from horizons we rise

Now airborne traversing the darkest of skies

With people observing our tortuous route

We're giving direction to those most astute

Our tails recapitulate paths where we flowed

As screaming across, over time we erode

'til nothing but brightness is left in our wake

And then, even that will the darkness retake

To those who have gathered, while brilliance persists

Behold exhibitions you don't want to miss

Ignoring the airplanes, just gaze on our light

Maintaining a silence, or scorn you'll incite

Remember, if anything hoping to reap

You'd better avoid being lulled off to sleep

[Guest]

No, those shouldn't really erode.

Too close to the title's exclusion.

Now it's the end of the working day over most of the US, so I'll go ahead and give a hint. I couldn't really think of a great way of hinting without pretty much giving it away, so I'm going to try something a little different: color coding which parts I'm interpreting more literally (blue) and which ones are more figurative or somehow call for typical riddler trickery to interpret (red).

When scheduled to shine, from horizons we rise

Now airborne traversing the darkest of skies

With people observing our tortuous route

We're giving direction to those most astute

Our tails recapitulate paths where we flowed

As screaming across, over time we erode

'til nothing but brightness is left in our wake

And then, even that will the darkness retake

To those who have gathered, while brilliance persists

Behold exhibitions you don't want to miss

Ignoring the airplanes, just gaze on our light

Maintaining a silence, or scorn you'll incite

Remember, if anything hoping to reap

You'd better avoid being lulled off to sleep

The Olympics

[plasmid]

The Olympics

Welcome to BrainDen, kevbob, and it's good to see that you're using spoilers on your first post.

That answer isn't it, though: it doesn't call for the silence like line 12 says, and shouldn't leave people in danger of falling asleep.

[Guest]

Wow, that is a really good answer. I knew I excluded the more modern kinds, but the "airplane" line really is the only one that excludes that answer. Not what I was going for, but I can see how with only one clue not fitting you would want to give it a shot and see if I had some sort of explanation for it in mind.

at a drive-in, or outdoor movie theatre

[plasmid]

at a drive-in, or outdoor movie theatre

Hmm... an old film-and-reel based movie with visual cues for the projectionist to know when to switch reels that's being shown to an audience that probably has young kids in the car since they're the ones most likely to fall off to sleep during the movie or to make noises that despite the relative isolation of being in their own family's car are still inappropriately too loud.

I surrender! There's no way to exclude every other possible answer!

I've got an answer in mind that seems more straightforward.

[Guest]

sorry, your very good riddle is frustrating me, so I vented a little.

[Guest]

emergency flares?

guided missiles?

[Guest]

Welcome to BrainDen, kevbob, and it's good to see that you're using spoilers on your first post.

That answer isn't it, though: it doesn't call for the silence like line 12 says, and shouldn't leave people in danger of falling asleep.

Thank you! And i'll give it another shot

Maybe a disease or illness of some sort

[plainglazed]

You know I usually hate just to guess

But this riddle has made my mind such a mess

One answer has really escaped me this time

Forcing as apology me writing this rhyme

For now my responses are narrowed to two.

A laser pointer I ask, "is that possibly you?"

Doubtful, and this one, I fear still the same

Not symphony is it, this beast for to tame?

[Guest]

a comet

Does this count as same as the title?

[plasmid]

You know I usually hate just to guess

But this riddle has made my mind such a mess

One answer has really escaped me this time

Forcing as apology me writing this rhyme

For now my responses are narrowed to two.

A laser pointer I ask, "is that possibly you?"

Doubtful, and this one, I fear still the same

Not symphony is it, this beast for to tame?

The rhyming is rather appropriate as the first guess is now quite close.

They don't really erode much, though.

[tiger_lily111]

spotlights?

[Shakeepuddn]

I haven't checked any spoilers so I don't know if this was shot down yet.

Aurora

[plasmid]

spotlights?

It would be a little unusual for them to lull people to sleep, and very unusual for them to call for silence.

I haven't checked any spoilers so I don't know if this was shot down yet.

Aurora

Welcome back, Shakee. I live too close to the equator to have ever actually seen one, and had always thought that they didn't touch the horizon since they originate in the ionosphere and that they were stationary. My first misconception has been debunked by Googling some: they can appear on the horizon depending on your viewpoint, and a little more reading showed that sometimes they are rather active. So now I'm forced to resort to weaker clues: the order of events in lines 6 and 7 would be mixed up you're talking about the macroscopic phenomenon, and if you're talking about the constituent atoms they don't actually erode to produce the light.

[Guest]

A national anthem? Or someone singing it? Or maybe just the flag?

When scheduled to shine, from horizons we rise---flag rises

Now airborne traversing the darkest of skies----perhaps lights get shut down? Not sure, but sometimes they do.

With people observing our tortuous route----watching the flag sway.

We're giving direction to those most astute----maybe it's pointing in the direction of a breeze?

Our tails recapitulate paths where we flowed

As screaming across, over time we erode----voice of singer erodes away.

'til nothing but brightness is left in our wake---not sure how to write why I think it fits here.

And then, even that will the darkness retake

To those who have gathered, while brilliance persists----people gather and stand to watch whoever sing.

Behold exhibitions you don't want to miss---usually sung before some sort of exhibition.

Ignoring the airplanes, just gaze on our light----ignore the passing planes, and focus on the flag.

Maintaining a silence, or scorn you'll incite-----of course shut up and listen.

Remember, if anything hoping to reap

You'd better avoid being lulled off to sleep-----might not want to be caught sleeping.

Yea maybe that's trying to get all 3 to fit at once . Oh well, I'll leave it to see how you respond .