March 26: Lightening Things Up, Psalm 18, Pluto

My coworker, after reading my psalm from yesterday, told me I needed to lighten things up today.  I've gotten a little too serious.  So this morning, as I was taking my shower, there was a story on Public Radio about the downgrading of Pluto to a dwarf planet and the controversy it caused.  I liked the story so much, I decided to make it the topic of my psalm today.

The issue with writing a poem about science is trying to include something clever or lyrical to make it interesting to the normal reader of poetry (if there is such a thing).  I came up with an idea when I hit McDonald's this morning with my family for breakfast.  The poem was done in about an hour and a half.  I think it's lighter.  I think it works.  But you'll have to be the judge of that.

Science and poetry aren't mutually exclusive.  In fact, I use a lot of science in things I write.  There's a lot of faith and art in the work of science, especially astronomy, which makes use of mythology in its terms and names.  A lot of science has been about the origins of the universe and the development of the human race.  The theories and ideas, obviously, do not allow for any supernatural/religious intervention.  But, whether you believe in the Big Bang or Creationism, the one big questions is who/what set things in motion at the beginning.  I don't know how you can answer that questions without involving some kind of creator, with a capital "C" or not.

Alright, enough of my philosophizing.

Saint Marty presents his "light" poem for this Saturday in Lent.

Psalm 18:  In Defense of Pluto

At Solar System Elementary, Pluto got bullied
Off the playground by bigger planets,
Despite the policy of zero tolerance
Instated a few years ago when Moon
Showed up one morning, eclipsed
Sun with a fist of shadow so hard
She had to go to the nurse's office
For treatment of a bruised solar flare.
The kindergartners in Ms. Copernicus' class
Saw the whole Pluto incident, shook
In their little comet shoes as Neptune,
Uranus, Jupiter caught Pluto by the fence,
Smeared him with cosmic shit left behind
By Mr. Bigbang's schnauzer, Eris,
Chanted over and over "dwarf, dwarf, dwarf"
Until Pluto broke orbit, fled home
In a vacuum.  Principal Galileo released
A statement:  "Milky Way School District
Will not tolerate any form of bullying,
In outer space or cyberspace.  All planets
Will be safe, dwarf, terrestrial, or gaseous,
Regardless of color, shape, orbital orientation."
Pluto remained at home, didn't return
To school.  Neptune, Uranus, Jupiter
Were suspended pending further inquiry.
Rallies, parades, candlelight vigils were held
Across the universe, calling for tolerance,
Acceptance, peace among all celestial bodies.

Honk if you love Pluto!