By Jove! Poem by Harley White

Jupiter, which is fifth from the Sun
in our system planetary,
has layers of swirling clouds that stun,
rife with splendors visionary.

It's the biggest gaseous giant
of any other solar sphere,
on which Mother Earth seems reliant
to fend off comet impacts here.

‘Twas named by the Romans for sky god—
though Zeus in the Grecian belief—
Jupiter, king with thunderbolt rod,
in his role of deity chief.

Of Neptune and Pluto a brother,
over heavens he presided,
in power surpassed by no other;
all state affairs too he guided.

The divinity's wife called Juno—
or Hera as counterpart Greek—
was also NASA's venture, you know,
planned to delve into Jove's mystique.

Her spousal eyes were able through clouds
to peer and his nature unmask,
albeit he'd tried to hide with shrouds;
indeed, she was fit for the task.

Now Juno's giving a treasure trove,
through mission exploring that realm,
of photos to dazzle us, by Jove,
with portrayals to overwhelm!

The spacecraft around Jupiter loops
exhibiting sectors cryptic,
since every fifty-three days it swoops,
in constant orbits elliptic.

Citizen scientists created
the view of my inspiration
for poem ekphrastic related,
with ‘dragon's eye' designation.

Huge oval anticyclonic storm
and white "pop-up" clouds in the mix
into a cosmic tableau transform
that the striking image depicts!

If ‘Jumping Jupiter! ' we exclaim,
it could also denote a scheme
of planet evolved migration frame,
while in this instance awe extreme.

That panorama before our sight
might seem a semblance glimpsed in dream,
rather than brightest orb of the night
after Moon and Venus's gleam.

The marvelous ambience marbled
like tapestry patterned brocade
may elicit impressions garbled
of fabulous figures inlaid.

Those swirly shapes remind of van Gogh,
in rendering color-enhanced,
or legendary scenario
where mythical creatures were tranced.

Aye, Jupiter's aspects can enthrall
beyond what mere verses convey,
for Nature's art is greatest of all,
be it flower or star ballet.

Our projects and probes seek to explore
where curiousness incites us,
thus to plumb the depths of evermore
as vastness of space invites us.

Mankind has a tendency, I fear,
in matters pertaining to worth
to value the far and slight what's near,
seen in our recklessness with Earth…

Extraordinary domains abound
where'er stargazing ways may rove,
yet of all the wonders we have found
there's still no place like home, by Jove!