Diane Hine

Diane Hine (25 July 1956)

Poems by Diane Hine : 191 / 307

On Saturn's Moon - Poem by Diane Hine

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If viewed in black and white, it could be Earth,
with river deltas, shores and sculpted rock.
But sands in endless dunes round half its girth,
are ever- frozen grains of ice which flock,
enslaved by Saturn's tidal-driven winds.
Revealed in filtered amber twilight haze,
the similarity to Earth rescinds.

Volcanic slushy ice spreads tar-film glaze,
across ice landscapes; ranges, plains and dust.
And methane clouds replenish methane lakes,
reflecting skies which glow like vapoured rust.
Up high, a prebiotic cocktail shakes,
as sunlight strafes an elemental mix
and smog drifts down past rainbows infrared.

Our dying sun in future will transfix
the Earth with bloodshot eye; prognosis- dead.
But creeping warmth is outer planet's boon.
Ammonia and water oceans form.
Exotic life erupts on Saturn's moon,
an eon-length methanogenic storm.
And maybe refugees from Earth or Mars,
will call the orange world of Titan ‘ours'.

Diane Hine

Poems by Diane Hine : 191 / 307

We don't have to worry about this scenario for a billion years or so.

Captain Cur (5/5/2012 10:09:00 AM)

Stellar! Beautifully written. Who would not want to live on Titan, to momentarily glimpse that display, even with so short an expectancy. (Report) Reply
Danny Draper (4/20/2012 7:16:00 PM)

A fine, informative and evocative write. However, I'll be on Voyager with Captain Janeway, probably peeling potatoes. (Report) Reply
Valerie Dohren (4/17/2012 4:48:00 AM)

Brilliant again Diane - love anything astronomical! Not sure I`d like to live on Saturn`s moon though - still, too old to worry about that. Ha. :) . (Report) Reply