he can ride the sighting
from his telescope
to the dying heart
of betelgeuse
in orion
describe the horseshoe shape
of one particular
in a nebula
tell about
the galaxies
so very many galaxies
away beyond
the milky way
at night
he glances at the sky
knows a shooting star
to be a meteor
the ups and downs
dips and mountains
of the craters
that pock the moon
but when he steps
inside his house
when work is done
the world that he touches
is a stranger
he cannot see
the corded lines
of accumulating dust motes
edging the walls
of his hallway
doesn’t realise that his bed
has not been made today
or yesterday
or
whenever
there’s no food
on the fridge shelf
but he thinks he recalls
a sandwich
maybe
at lunchtime
all he knows
for sure
is the mental guide
well worn
to the cupboard
that holds his whisky
and a cut-glass tumbler
there’s no ice
again
but the whisky bites him
hard enough
to forget
that on the rocks
was once the way
he liked it best
and anyway
and anyway
soon enough
he’ll fall to bed
he’ll go to sleep
until his sky rises again
when he can sit astride
his saddle
one eye to the viewfinder
and ride the glance
of his telescope
to look deep
this time
at alpha a
and maybe
if he’s lucky
alpha b
~
-
Author:
Frank Prem (
Offline) - Published: October 25th, 2017 00:26
- Category: Reflection
- Views: 38
Offline)
Comments5
I love your poem, Frank! I can see that astronomer, but I think the poem goes further, talking about being so involved in something that we forget daily life, or being so good in one thing, but so bad in others. Great poem!
Great insight into the poem Fred. You've picked all the elements that had occurred to me in the writing of it. Very glad you enjoyed the piece.
This is a superb write Fred. Sometimes we get involved in one particular subject that others are ignored.
Thank you GF.
Good write Frank. A sort of 'head in the clouds' thing?
Higher, I think, O. Cheers.
I also get too far focussed on something and tend to forget other things that are far more important - like family for example. A lesson to us all.
Yes, the hierarchy of importance gets confused, sometimes and only clears in hindsight I think. Ah well.
Thank you Michael.
A man so absorbed in his work that he becomes oblivious to the mundane world. A blessing and a curse, one could say. He at least has his passion to keep him going.
Excellent, absorbing write, Frank!
Very much blessing and curse, Louis. Thanks for reading and commenting again. Glad you enjoyed the piece.
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