An Odyssey of Star Strings
your starry eyes illuminated
the plastic planets of the
solar system mobile.
fragile fingers attempt to reach
pocket Ice Giants but-
do you know how minuscule you are?
look beyond miniature planets to ponder
as you sink into the vast ocean of dark yonder-
inside Laniakea and across the supercluster,
within your bones and singularity unveiled as a lover.
On the surface, Mercury’s perfect gray
but have you seen my white crater rays?
although closest to the sun, i can’t radiate Venus’s
feverish warmth and blazing beauty hot spots.
i revolve faster than the others
but it’s never enough-
why does everything seem so small?
where are all my moons of a playmate?
my peculiar swift revolution must come into acceptance
my adaption to loneliness became newfound independence.
Venus, named after the goddess of love and beauty,
yet beware- no rose would survive in my atmosphere.
Mercury, i long to have my Luna and Io too
but my extreme temperatures, like the desperate waves of the sea,
veiled by clouds of sulfuric acid, would you want to be near me?
Felt like frozen time, days longer than my years,
ice cold distance, my rotation conflicts with my peers,
but i feel beloved despite by rocky and rugged,
and i remain to blaze my yellow hues-
warm like morning tea.
flying by me?
don’t be fooled by my rusty iron-
i’m the colour of red amaryllis.
swirling dust storms,
Valles Marineris of the moment,
it’s no wonder that Phobos and Deimos
are by my side.
but don’t fear me- your people disguised as
rovers and orbiters,
come to me as if I’m the light to worshippers.
you might shiver when kissed by my
southern winters of bitterly cold,
but my spring days will come to melt and renew the old.
They name me Jupiter, after the supreme King himself.
but do I truly live up to that name?
my stripes and swirls may move like water but
these clouds are cold and freezing.
My Great Red Spot may seem extraordinary to you
but to me, it’s a war against my sorrows of a swarm.
but my multitudinous moons stay beside me,
the storm gradually dies, these chilly clouds, I can withstand.
Adorned with pearls as pure as snowstorm’s snowflakes,
rings as light as an eagle’s feather,
perhaps my auroras can show you
that I am persevering to be the one who brings forth.
now, would you come to me?
my planet of the seven rings,
aren’t you enamoured by them?
but look at my pale yellow fused with
surging storms of orange and white-
when i have no one to shine for,
i feel like i bring gloom to those who i adore.
but look at my world of marvelous moons-
Mirrorball giant, Enceladus, sprinkling its oceans out to you,
Hyperion’s unpredictable rotation, other moons to explore too,
Titan’s surface, seas and lakes; something worth drowning for,
Saturn’s little world, wouldn’t you want to explore
Uranus’s skies, crisp core,
only Voyager 2 has paid a visit,
look at me, who would adore?
but besides my icy blue,
emerald gardens fluoresce through.
although you may never live here,
i was the first planet your kind saw.
my playmates of moons twirl around me
along with my rings worth of a sightsee.
my winter degrees may numb limbs, age old ends,
but perhaps you’ll find snowflakes to befriend
me?
years away, feels like frozen time,
farthest from the sun, it’s going to be a climb.
imperceptible to your eyes, navigate me through hieroglyphics
yet, i hope you know
that I’m here for you-
coldest of them all, i understand why you would stay away,
frozen fingertips, wintry woes, how nice to touch the Sun’s ray.
But before you freeze into eternity, death as debris in my rings,
I hope you remember the kiss of my winds’ wings
flying back home.
Come to Mother Nature’s arms-
all these broken continents, once used to be
a united Pangaea,
the way that we are all singular threads,
woven into looms of one tapestry.
Although there are unearthly bounds
your temporary toes may never
encounter-
Please believe that the enigmatic elements
of the mundane you find bizarre,
once belonged to a star.