17 April 2010

April Poem A Day Challenge Day 17

Since I write quite a few science poems, this was a good prompt for me.

Poetic Asides: For today's prompt, write a science poem. Science encompasses a lot, so your poem doesn't have to be scientific to still be a science poem. For instance, you could have a poem titled something like "The Science of Love," and then examine a relationship. Voila! A science poem! Of course, it'll be interesting to see how many poets talk about volcanoes and single cell organisms, not to mention finding out how many "mad scientists" are out there.

After looking through what I've written in the past I'd say they fall into a few specific categories – physics, astronomy, psychology, and biology. Most of my poems hinge on psychological ideas, but the lure of physics is strong. Since I don't really understand it, writing poetry about it helps. Same with biology.

Back in junior high I wanted to be an ornithologist. I still love birds - and flying. I've been fascinated by flight as long as I can remember, so if it has wings, organic, wooden or metallic, I'm interested. Also space, moving through it, what's out there, all that jazz. I've written about my fascination with a certain star formation before, and sure enough, I had to write another poem about Orion, a "Constellation Preoccupation".

I also wrote a cognitive psychology poem that was rather short and pointed, and then the Muse decided to gift me with a few more ideas, so now I have a nice trio of science type poems thanks to the prompt, including one that explores "The Theory of Everything." So much in science to write about. It is a nice contrast to the historical, mythological, theological poems I've written of late. Of course, now and then, science and religion cross paths in a poem. The results are usually interesting, and not entirely what I expected. The Muse likes to keep me guessing.

Another poem trio to match my just written poem trio, a bit of old and a bit of new.



Telescope
by Louise Glück


There is a moment after you move your eye away
when you forget where you are
because you've been living, it seems,
somewhere else, in the silence of the night sky.

You've been stopped being here in the world
You're in a different place
a place where human life has no meaning.

You're not a creature in a body.
You exist as the stars exist,
participating in their stillness, their immensity.

Then you're in the world again.
An night, on a cold hill,
taking the telescope apart.

You realize afterward
not that the image is false
but the relation is false.

You see again how far away
each thing is from every other thing.




Peace On Earth
by William Carlos Williams

The Archer is wake!
The Swan is flying!
Gold against blue
An Arrow is lying.
There is hunting in heaven--
Sleep safe till to-morrow.

The Bears are abroad!
The Eagle is screaming!
Gold against blue
Their eyes are gleaming!
Sleep!
Sleep safe till to-morrow.

The Sisters lie
With their arms intertwining;
Gold against blue
Their hair is shining!
The Serpent writhes!
Orion is listening!
Gold against blue
His sword is glistening!
Sleep!
There is hunting in heaven--
Sleep safe till to-morrow.



Germs
by Walt Whitman

Forms, qualities, lives, humanity, language, thoughts,
The ones known, and the ones unknown, the ones on the stars,
The stars themselves, some shaped, others unshaped,
Wonders as of those countries, the soil, trees, cities, inhabitants,
whatever they may be,
Splendid suns, the moons and rings, the countless combinations and effects,
Such-like, and as good as such-like, visible here or anywhere, stand
provided for a handful of space, which I extend my arm and
half enclose with my hand,
That containing the start of each and all, the virtue, the germs of all.


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