The anthropomorphic snowman harks back
at least to the Middle Ages we're told
when crafters began to master the knack
of fashioning snow into figured mold.
Albeit the norm appears to be framed
from three big snowballs with added attire,
this snowman has two seen in full view named
where aspect of whole is there to admire.
The Snowman Nebula it has been dubbed,
although termed Sharpless Two Dash Three O Two,
as commoner tags are frequently subbed
for cloudscapes celestial, and this one grew
in constellation Puppis, or Poop Deck—
don't snicker too soon, for it means ‘The Stern',
but, if you must as did I, what the heck,
since my lexicon which I came to learn
said ‘a weather deck on top of a poop',
and I not a Brit was thrown for a loop,
which caused me with gales of giggles to whoop
until my composure I could recoup.
Whether amused by my prattle or not
this cloud-painted shape a snowman evokes;
‘twas captured by Hubble in detailed shot
of nebula formed in broad cosmic strokes.
As emission nebula thus comprised
of gases so energy charged equipped
from huge stars nearby so were ionized
through hydrogen atoms electron stripped,
this Snowman of cloud diffuse has a glow
that shines with an inner light of its own
as seen in the sweeping swirls to and fro
of smaller section the Hubble has shown.
It's spotted some six thousand light-years far
away in stelliferous heights o'erhead
from lazuline world where we earthlings are
and dreamy-eyed poets the heavens tread…
I've strayed from ridiculous to sublime
as verses of mine have meandered ere
beyond any seeming ‘reason and rhyme'
yet tied to my stargazing love affair.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem