quasar blazes at the known limit of the universe
signifying the birth of pleasure at the edge of a
circumbinary system, once considered an impossibility,
but only to those forgetful of the myth of Eros & Psyche
Psyche, beau ideal, planetary anomaly in a galaxy where
perfection cannot exist, her acts of imagination,
butterfly fantastications, pull her toward the precipice
of consciousness, anagoge of luminous poetry
her liquescent beauty unbounded attracts his ardor
Eros, cloaked as an invisible planet approaches,
influencing her orbit, she perceives only a blue shift,
introduction of a chaotic cosmogony hinting at metamorphosis
captured by high precision photometry she senses
his gravitational pull, enticing mirage, buried image of divinity
so they are joined in clandestine union, mystic bliss
until Psyche’s atmosphere is pregnant with new life
in his immaturity he proclaims if she awaits the birth
without revealing his true nature it will become immortal,
but if she must know him, the child will fall from celestial heights
her multiplicity introduces hidden doubts, what dragon,
what unseen monster, caresses her?
a cathetic quandary that consumes her delight
she stops a passing pulsar, pleading for revelation
showing her Eros’ true self as a god benighted star
he flees, red shift abandonment, condemning her, an orphan planet
struck from his orbit, floating alone through interstellar space
freezing to death in a spiritual suicide, abrading her love
seeking absolution for her transgression and his return
she is tested, searching for cyphers to initiate transformation
at the end of her trials she comes weary to the black hole
an underworld that could consume her soul and the promise
of her unborn potentiality, where she must travel for the final answers
in her quest to regain his gaze, further into the darkness that will act
as catalyst yet threatens to unravel all if she becomes consumed
victorious she emerges but the immersion takes its toll
she is rendered silent awaiting the restorative kiss of Eros’ forgiveness
humbled by her struggle he returns to her side convincing the gods to
grant her immortality, transmuting her into a star that she might shine
as brightly as he, in a circumbinary system birthing an eternal joy
ISS Startrails – TRONized from Christoph Malin on Vimeo.
Written for Open Link Night at dVerse Poets Pub: http://dversepoets.com. Tuesday is my birthday so I will be a bit slow returning visits.
this is fascinating…like a celestial ballet, him slinking in, stealing her innocence, leaving her with child…the black hole threatening to consume her…really quite epic…and some great turns of phrase along the way as well…butterfly fantastications…ha, cool…nice wrap back to the beginning as well there in the end…
Ooo a ballet, that’s exciting! I wanted to use a more traditional approach to the narrative (narrator, circinate structure, mythic brushstrokes) and spin out on the setting, symbols, and metaphors. Wonderful to hear it worked for you!
our universe is truly a wonder. thank you for this journey among the stars.
Yes, I was thrilled to learn they’d confirmed the existence of a circumbinary system. After a couple of weeks it dawned on me I could use it to retell the myth of Eros & Psyche. Thank you!
Wow Anna, you never cease to amaze and this is amazing. I was totally absorbed into it. Loved this:
anagoge of luminous poetry
her liquescent beauty unbounded attracts his ardor. Genius, you are.
I replied but WordPress must have eaten it, sorry about that. That’s marvelous, thank you! I combined two of my favorite topics so it’s wonderful you found it absorbing :D.
only you, dear anna, could spin such a wonderfully romantic tale from a scientific discovery… this is what i love best about your writing. i’m so glad that he forgave her… so glad that she, like you, can shine so brightly.
I’m sure to the eternal consternation of real scientists :D! However, why take poetry, an act of imagination, and sterilize it. Thank you for your continual encouragement it always illuminates my life, you are a bright star!
Wonderful “marriage” of one of my favorite myths and the mysteries of the universe. Enjoy your special day, Anna.
Thank you so much Victoria! It’s one of my favorites too.
A great tale Anna. I hope today is a great one and your birthday is amazing.
Thanks Ayala, it was lovely!
Such a brilliant re-telling of this myth! The idea alone, of using
Sorry, didn’t finish. The idea of using heavenly bodies to represent Psyche and Eros, of using gravity, brilliant!!
I look forward to reading yours :)!
happy birthday =)
Thank you, it was :D!
Have happy birthday, have pleasure, near to “eternal joy.” I love your interplanetary, inter-stellar retelling of the Eros/Psyche story that I know so well. It gave me a glimmer at the meaning of circumbinary system–only a glimmer, mind you. But within the mystery I had a dance of the planets to the tune of your video and the sensual nature of the union: “she senses
his gravitational pull, enticing mirage, buried image of divinity.” Too bad he’s spiritually immature, lucky she survives to give birth . . . I’m glad the myths still have play among the star watchers.
Thank you Susan, what a beautiful birthday wish. I’m thrilled to hear you loved my retelling!
Another amazing poetic tale that is truly out of this world Anna 🙂
Big smiles, so wonderful to see you again!
And, like Eros, you have given the bright Psyche of your words an eternal home in the firmament. Stellar stuff, Anna. (ouch)
Happy Birthday, my dear!
Wow Joe, thanks for the wonderful compliment and birthday wish!
“..she perceives only a blue shift..” I love that line. Wonderful work with myth and metaphor (and science) throughout. Have a magical birthday, Anna.
There was a bit of magic, thank you so very much :D!
The immersion always takes its toll, doesn’t it Anna? Sometimes quite worth it. Others, regrettably.
Quite true, I am late making rounds but look forward to it in the morning.
Out of this world. To me, prove love lives on other planets. I have trouble at times getting the right interpretation of your sentences because they are so deep and you never are really saying what you type, but my feel is a true reflection of dancing with the stars, in real. A US TV show. Sometimes you hide your romantic and vulnerability, But I see glimpses in the beauty between your lines. I enjoyed this very much.
Yes, sometimes I hide, I grew up in a shaming family. Wonderful to hear you could see something beautiful between the lines. I’ll be by to read yours soon :).
a universe personified, overlapping stellar and human traits… a great mythology here, great flow and sounds. really enjoyed this anna
Thanks so much for your feedback; your comment was in spam (?) but is rescued now :).
Sigh* I love happy endings. A story of love, redemption, forgiveness, grace and mercy, but most importantly LOVE. Enjoyed this much, Anna.
Me too, and your sigh is a marvelous compliment!
amazing modernization of mythic brilliance. The combination of the scientific, the artistic, the mythic and combined with lush imagery and strong choice of words makes for the shift from mere poetry to ingrained experience. Exceedingly strong Anna. Great read. Thanks
You leave the best comments, thank you!
That’s far out!
Haha!
You tell a wonderful story here – it has the kind of flow of an epic – as you sing of this mythology and the stars. Lovely. k.
Fantastic to hear it flows and sings, thanks k. :D!
beautifully written. and a STELLAR reminder to me about the profound effect myths have on human consciousness.
They do and I hope we don’t abandon them or never create new myths, our world is so much richer and more meaningful with them. Thanks so much, Jane!
Sharp and chilly star-music… love the sonic clarity of this piece, Anna. Universal concepts and the pulse of humanity: ‘ she stops a passing pulsar’… made me smile 🙂
Yes, a full service lantern when you need a symbolic revelation and the strobe light adds to the drama :). Thank you Becky, I’m just now catching up on my reading so I’ll be by in a bit!
a beautiful creation: Star Struck by your Super Duper Nova 🙂
hope you had a great birthday anna.
cool video too!
Haha, those star trails are so beautiful! Thanks for stopping by, sorry I was so late in reading yours but didn’t get to OLN until this morning.
amazingly creative take on what is my absolute favorite myth of all time. 🙂 thanks.
Thank you very much. It is mine too :).