Steve Berman Potery

An Astrophysical Diversion – Poem 132

Just as some families, friendships, marriages
attenuate and those who once were close
become like distant planets
through no fault
or intention of their own
so as the universe expands
the galaxies recede, moving apart
with ever greater speed

It’s not the galaxies themselves accelerating
but the space between them
that expands until the speed
at which the great star systems move apart
exceeds even the speed of light
then they become like couples
grown so distant they can no longer speak
to one another
this the future of our universe
such as the astrophysicists predict

How good to live in this our present universe
where Andromeda is still in view
and the Hubble telescope amazes
with images of fiery pinwheels, spirals
star clusters, nebulae and quasars
so distant that their light
has been streaming towards us from almost
the moment time began
and what a blessing to be conjoined
with the one who comes to find me
in whatever place I try to I hide
whose light illuminates
my moon’s dark side
she the fixed star
whose gravitation keeps me
in orbit lest I float off into space
her love the stellar force
the field that holds me
within the bounds of love’s
cosmic embrace

Steve Berman
Grants Pass OR
December 22, 2020