Sunday, February 15, 2009

When Moons Fall Out of Orbit


(Image of Eagle Nebula from Hubble Space Telescope)



Adrift
A moon in a nebulae sea

Cast off
From a thousand suns

Revolves
No more around dark matter forces

Pulled
To the black hole’s edge

Vacuumed
Into a field of opposing gravitations

Reduced
To elemental atoms

Ejected
Into vast ethers of undefined space

Carried
By the waves
Of a massive
Galactic radio
Jet
Far
Into
The

F
l
o
a
t
i
n
g

N
o
t
h
i
n
g


Fission
Ignition of a virgin
Protosun glows in soft brown
Eyes of an almost stranger
Vision of unseen magnetic
Forces captive a binary system
Of glowing singularities
In a random universe
That doesn’t know
What orbit
Is

25 comments:

K.Lawson Gilbert said...

Isn't it beyond imagination what outer space really looks like? To think, that before the space telescopes, we had no idea how gorgeous it all is out there! The Eagle Nebula is one of my favorite images from space.

I like the inventive structure of the poem. Great vivid verbs help project the piece, then we drift, fragmented, somewhere in the incalculable cosmos. Beautiful! :)

Catherine Vibert said...

Thanks K.! I love this picture so much. I see a person standing tall with a bird on her shoulder when I look at it. I've always been enamored with Astronomy, and if I had a more scientific mind, I might have gone into that field. The images are astounding! But I also get a major kick out of particle physics and my favorite field trip in Astronomy class was to the Stanford Linear Accelerator to watch how they smash up atoms. Amazing stuff.

Karen said...

Cat, when I view the picture, I see a person, too. Sometimes, when I look at pictures of outer space, I'm sure I see God.

I really like the way you've structured this, mimicking the picture itself.

This one demands another read! Really, really nice.

Catherine Vibert said...

Karen-I totally know what you mean about seeing God in those pictures. The universe is astoundingly inspiring on so many levels.

And thank both you and K for mentioning the structure. I did toil over that one! (But it was fun toiling indeed).

Linda S. Socha said...

Creatively done and powerful!
I really connect with this picture.
I will be reading this one many more times....The structure is both unique and evocative......It helps me feel like a space traveler without need of a vehicle
Space travel spiritually if you will.Thanks Catvibe.
Linda

bluesugarpoet said...

The first thing I thought when I saw your poem was "e e cummings." Nicely done - i love how the structure and content echo the singular subject.

Vesper said...

Speak Astronomy to me and my heart will melt with an indescribable pleasure...

Beautiful, Cat! Thank you!

Anonymous said...

wow, this has left me speechless..... stunning!

Catherine Vibert said...

Thanks Linda! Enjoy the traveling! I do...

Bluesugarpoet-Thank you very much for that incredibly honorable compliment, and I think you must be psychic, because I almost left it all in lower case but decided THAT would be too cummingslike!

Vesper-I know what you mean...it is the stuff of the greatest imagination and dreams isn't it?

Paul-Thank you so much!

laughingwolf said...

superb, thx cat :D

Anonymous said...

A beautiful image to work from--the nebula. And I love how the verbs are the stepwise anchor of the poem.

Adrift, then finding yourself in orbit...the great gift of gravity.

jaz said...

Okay, can we all just please agree that you are brilliant? This is incredible on the first, second, and third read. I LOVE the last part:

"In a random universe
That doesn’t know
What orbit
Is"

Perfect.

Khaled KEM said...

Cat,

This is a very creative one you just through it out of your beautiful mind. The picture add an extra dimension to the words.
The way you structured the words add to the meaning and I can see how you can go up high to reach down deep in our hidden minds.

Catherine Vibert said...

Laughingwolf-Thank you!

Jason- I figured you'd crack the code. Somehow I like the idea of people being suns in binary systems rather than a moon revolving around everyone elses sun. Then everyone gets to shine. Orbit, I suppose is somewhat unavoidable since the universe is built that way.

Jennifer- Now there IS the impossible dream. But that is what I do the best. ;-) Oh, and thanks for the very high compliment!

Khaled, I almost called you Khalil again. I wonder if he came back in the form of you, and that's why I keep getting confused! You do possess that same wonderful spirit of awe of the great mystery. I thank you my friend.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely gorgeous. I love this poem!

Catherine Vibert said...

Thank you Cherie!

Sameera Ansari said...

The pic is awe-inspiring,and the verse so powerful!Loved the way you presented the poem :)

Sarah Hina said...

I'm thinking of destruction and rebirth here. There is pain, and loneliness in that floating nothingness, that pulls on us. But when we are reborn into something new and more powerful, we can look with wonder at how bound we were before. Endlessly circling, never really sharing the light.

Powerful, deep poem, Cat. I felt the tension, and the explosiveness of the words smooth into something serene, and confident by the end.

George said...

I like the way you shaped the poem to the nebula images you used.

Have you been to google space? It's like google earth but you can venture out among the planets and stars.

And, yes I like the poem too.

Linda S. Socha said...

Hello Catvibe!
Please check out the most recent post at Psyche Connections. There is a much deserved blog award for you there.
Linda

Scott Ennis said...

In all honesty, it is a beautiful poem, well written and well rendered. Please don't read this as obligatory penance, but as sincere appreciation for your talent as a writer. You do have a genius in your writing of which I find myself frequently in awe.

Drizel said...

really stunning piece.:)

Cynthia said...

Wow, Cat, dear, how darkly vivid,
like a medieval rainbow of sorts.

Catherine Vibert said...

Sameera-Thank you!

Sarah-As usual I can count on you to cut to the core with your eagle eye vision. Thank you for your keen decyphering abilities! And for your friendship...I'm very lucky to know you.

George-I haven't tried Google Space but I think I will, I just hope I won't get lost up there, it's so compelling to float around in those amazing places.

Scott- Coming from you, that is truly a compliment of the highest order. I bow to you in humble gratitude.

Etain- Thank you!

Cynthia-There is something so medieval about astronomy isn't there? The art and culture developing alongside that science gave us some amazing images to hold dear. I'm glad my poem evoked some of that for you. :-)

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