dark matter: poems of space

combine a poet, maurice riordan, and an astrophysicist, jocelyn bell burnell, who has collected space-related poetry throughout her life, and you get a new book, dark matter: poems of space! its about time, really!


i havent read this book yet, but i'm quite excited about its existence and will probably buy it soon. most physicists i know have active hobbies: music, art, sports (running seems the most popular, but i always find people to play soccer with)... but i wonder why there are not more ("out of the closet") astrophysicist writers and poets?

in light of this question, i want to share a poem i wrote quite a long time ago. i'm not saying this poem has a whole lot to do with actual astrophysics, or that i'm a poet... but still, i like it, so here it is.

angstrom anarchy

wishing on a star consoles for a minute and deceives
me into thinking my desires will come to be
but i can't feel a star's touch or see and star smile
and a twinkle only goes so far
then leaves a void that something must fill
and yet again that something turns into loneliness
but not the kind of loneliness you feel while driving your car
its the loneliness you feel when you alone
sit in your room fumbling through every

gift given
picture taken
smile revealed
look shown
kiss shared
every memory of him

floods my mind until my belly aches to

touch
smell
feel
taste
hold
laugh

with the one person that means everything to me
and then i look out the open window on this clear night
and see my first shooting star in two years
and its a joyous occasion for shooting star wishes
are worth at least ten eyelash wishes
so i smile a colossal smile because i already know my wish
which is to be ready and willing to let go and be free
the day that anarchy once again meets utopia