Cleopatra's Nebulous Eye Poem by Harley White

In constellation Eridanus or
the River, a stunning nebula lies
of brilliant turquoise with bright stellar core
resembling one orb of a pair of eyes.

Misnomered from early telescope looks
as ‘nebula planetary', widespread
for term that persisted in astro-books,
‘twas spotted by William Herschel it's said

in seventeen eighty-five, when believed
to be related to planets descried
although we now know this was ill-conceived
since we've discerned it as blurrily spied.

An inner ring oblong surrounding star
at center and dual companion too
suggested by measurements from afar
by Hubble observed of ‘eye' cobalt blue

reminded stargazers of queen ‘divine'
Egyptian with royal descent likewise
besides Macedonian Greek in line,
perchance accounting for guise of her eyes

as shown in encaustic once found then lost
though fortunately described in a tome
from eighteen eighties through times tempest-tossed
upon the blue planet earthlings call home.

While seldom in storied depictions stressed
at hands of historians' slanted styles,
great intellect Cleopatra possessed,
though fabled for using beauteous wiles.

The nickname ‘Cleopatra's Eye' took hold
for cloudscape NGC One Five Three Five
some several thousand light-years we're told
from realm where terrestrials still survive…

A poet romantic Li He Chinese
who lived about two thousand years ago
and died much too young of the same disease
perhaps as Keats composed lines apropos

of phrases expressive for Milky Way.
‘The River of Heaven wheels round at night',
wrote he of the firmament's grand display,
while ‘drifting the circling stars, ' all alight

for lyrists in whilom periods past
inspired by marvels of cosmic esprit
who brooded on heavens timelessly vast
amidst human nature's inconstancy.

Yet I but a would-be rhapsodist mere
am wondrous at what bygone ages saw
when musing on the stelliferous sphere
with ever present perpetual awe.