Ph: Physics: Love: All Is Stardust But Poem by Brian Johnston

Ph: Physics: Love: All Is Stardust But

Rating: 4.6


Like an excited smear of photo luminescent bacteria,
Trembling with a beauty so fearfully short lived,
On a dark globe, 'mother earth, ' that is itself stardust,
Mankind's cities gleam feebly, tremulous, at night
Against the infinite blackness that is space.
Space that is itself the ultimate black body,
For no light, no energy, can escape its depths.
Light is only seen here, in fact,
If you happen to be in its way,
As it rushes past on its way to equilibrium,
A kind of stasis, where everything is the same,
And God, if He exists, perhaps melts into all we know,
Imagination, now indistinguishable,
From the lack thereof,
A lover you will never see again.

And the star you still see hanging
From the branch of the universe's tree,
Like the turtle of ancient lore
That carries the earth on its back,
Is not the same star at all
But a star diminished by a single photon of light
You know, the one that struck your fancy,
Impacting the retina of your eye, which is actually
Naked brain, grey matter exposed to light.
This photon, in so loving you,
Surrenders its identity completely,
Just for the chance to warm you one iota.
I wonder what, in fact, happens to a photon,
That in all of time, does not strike anything?
Has it too served God's purpose?

Oh God, please promise me,
That when You dream,
Your dreams will always be,
If not of me, then, at least of this creation,
For, Oh God, it is so beautiful!

POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
Brian Johnston
July 8,2014

If you would like to give this poem a rating, please do so in a comment that is separate from your regular comment if you leave one. Many poets, including myself, have been experiencing visits from hard to identify PH members who like to damage other's poem's ratings with illegal multiple votes of 1.0 and make a mockery out of normal voting. You voting in a comment field helps me to protect your rating of my poem which they wish to destroy. I know that this is a bit of extra work for you, but believe me it is appreciated.

Poet's Notes:
Inspired by a late night flight into the Houston, Texas airport and marveling again at how beautiful city lights appear when the sun goes down.
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Pradip Chattopadhyay 08 July 2014

deep and thought-provoking almost transcending to meditative...astounding journey into the mysticism that's creation. great work Brian.

1 0 Reply
Roseann Shawiak 28 July 2014

Brian, I was totally mesmerized by this poem. It appealed to me very much on several levels. Love how you explained our mysterious universe like a mystic of old. Having flown many times at night your poem took me right into the essence of your scientific explanations - I was fascinated - spell-bound if you must. I wanted to read more of the same! I can and do appreciate the last lines. Maybe for others you could have stayed with the mysticism of science, instead of switching to simplistic lines. That I think, may have changed the feeling of your poem. Otherwise I loved and enjoyed it thoroughly.

0 0 Reply

A great poem with such beautiful narration of reality behind the universal phenomenons and it is a poem of difference mixed with scientific truth and ideal thoughts. Happy to read the poem.

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Bri Edwards 09 July 2014

This photon, in so loving you, Surrenders its identity completely, Just for the chance to warm you one iota. ...............i like it. (well, generally, i liked the whole poem. it certainly is different than many of mine, which, though 'funny', are less thought-full and less 'poetic'.) has anyone determined how many photons a star HAS to start out with? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - as for your response to j. tillery's comment, i don't feel that he was saying i don't like the last lines. after all, brian, i (bri) like some parts of this poem though i don't think i have a grip on them. know what i mean? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - i copied this: get a grip (on something) to understand how to deal with something The program will have helpful tips on how to get a grip on your finances. Something is obviously not right in our organization, and we must get a grip on the problem. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - thanks for sharing, my friend. :) bri

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Valsa George 08 July 2014

This is an amazing write.... Enjoyed this journey into the mysterious pockets of the universe..... Great Diction!

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Jeffrey Tillery 08 July 2014

Brian, I like this work a lot. To me the last four lines seemed to be an abrupt change in direction that I'm not sure I have a grip on yet, but up to that point very creative and thought provoking.

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