GALAXY PANTOUM
(the galaxy Andromeda is speeding towards
our Milky Way and will collide with us
in three billion years)
Cows and people stare,
each on their side of the fence,
both aware of their differences.
Andromeda hurtles through space.
Each on their side of the fence,
sniffing clover and Queen Anne's Lace.
Andromeda hurtles through space
due to collide with the Milky Way.
Sniffing clover and Queen Anne's Lace
children and cows stay unaware a galaxy
will collide with the Milky Way.
In three billion years solar worlds gone.
Children and cows stay unaware a galaxy
whizzes with light and dust.
In three billion years solar worlds gone,
all measurements rust.
Whizzing with light and dust
towards planets memorized in school,
where all measurements rust
in vanished archives of local stars,
Andromeda zooms towards planets learned in school,
past blackboards and boxes of space-age toys,
in vanished archives of local stars.
After class a girl nudges a poky boy,
past blackboards and boxes of space-age toys,
she urges him along.
After class that girl nudges a poky boy:
“At your rate it will take three billion years
to go home,” she urges him along
to hurry back to cows in the field.
“At your rate it will take three billion years,”
she fusses and says, “we’ve chores to do.”
Hurrying back to cows in the field,
she prods the indolent boy,
says “we’ve chores to do
before dark and crows come home to roost.”
She prods the indolent boy,
not judging the world might one day be
dark as crows come home to roost,
all cellular intelligence
not judging the world might be
void of crows, people and cows,
all cellular intelligence,
that nothing would stay as it was.
Colette Inez |
