SciFi and Fantasy Stories: Earth Speaks to the Void
If our planet could hold a conversation with the empty universe around it, what would the two entities say to each other? Only in the realm of fantasy can a question like this be answered...
(EARTH)
The dew, dirt-fresh, on ev’ry surface gleaming clear
Through jungle’s womb the early sun is steaming here
The green of it is visible on ev’ry pore
And settles to the bosom of the planet’s core
A circle in a circle is the garden-ring
And light is like a halo over ev’rything!
(VOID)
Thy candle lights a speck upon the endless plane
The sum of what thy life hath been is spent in vain
Thou lookest at me, thinking of serenity
So thinks the mote when gazing at infinity –
What dream hast thou to spread thy mind on heaven’s shore?
Suspended in the ether-void for evermore!
(EARTH)
The land abounds in water-spring, in wine and food
Its path careening skyward in its magnitude
Why need you come with darkness, wrapped in death and fear?
The phantoms of your terror find no comfort here
A speck am I? So be it then, and be at peace
Take heart and live one time before the wonder cease!
(VOID)
Thou thinkest I am Death? Thou weak and petty fool.
A shade, a ripple in a microscopic pool
Is Death, and all that he hath ever hoped or sought
Is suffering, thy blood, and thee. So let him rot.
Mine name is Chaos – venture close and look at me
And know my face, the face of naked Entropy!
(EARTH)
The moon is out, and what would Chaos say to her?
She balances upon a strand of gossamer.
She monthly dies, and as for night, she knows it well
No horror does she fear, no wraith or blacken’d hell
My life is not a crystal, white and sacrosanct
And for the gift of shifting fate you’re gladly thanked!
(VOID)
No hope remaineth – sun nor star, nor shifting moon
But will be frozen dust and broken gases soon
No living mind may hold against unbound despair
And as for thee, thou plungest into madness bare
The product of thy thought for all of time unheard
And mindless cold forever hath the final word!
This has a great flow to it - love the title. I also really liked how the Earth does get in the final word
I generally like to leave some constructive criticism, but it's pretty hard to do so with poetry, especially since this isn't a particularly long piece and you've obviously proof-read it. I guess my questions would be, what exactly are you trying to say? Is it an Epicurean, "seize the day" type thing, or something else?
Anyway, clever use of rhyme and such- too bad this piece hasn't gotten more attention. Brian Buckley replies: "Thank you. And yeah, Earth does get the final say - I was wondering if anyone would notice that. The idea behind the poem is to allow the simple order of human life to have a say against the cosmic Chaos which will eventually destroy it. If we're all going to die, and everything we do will be destroyed, what is the point? The poem attempts to answer that question, at least in part."
Only from your fertile brain could we have the Earth and outer space stopping for a chat!
I really, really like this piece, partly because I can see the philosophy I ascribe to in it (this may well be personal interpretation, mind you!). For me, the message here seems to be that it's pointless to sit and think about death and the end of the world and the supposed futility of human existence; life may be just an impermanent, short-lived spark, but it's a damn beautiful one.
In the hands of a less gifted poet this could have been stilted and cliche (for example, I was worried by the first 'speaker'-caption I saw), but this was just excellent - right down to the formal and slightly less formal voices you used for the timeless Void and the new Earth. And on the technical side ... well, you need to occasionally insert a fault in your meter so we commenters can feel useful and offer constructive critique again. Brian Buckley replies: "Thanks a lot! As for the meaning, I think you nailed it dead-on: "life may be just an impermanent, short-lived spark, but it's a damn beautiful one." And I'm glad you noticed the differing speaking types of the two speakers - you're right, that was deliberate. (I'm going to have to upload stuff more often, just so I can keep getting such insightful comments!)"
Crap, I been meaning to come check if you've posted, and I have missed this for a while.
Well, there isn't much to say with all these good writers around. Two long comments don't leave much more to talk about. Oh well.
I liked this, the rhythem is good, along with the rhyme.
I like the idea of the small speck talking to chaos. In truth we are less than specks, living on the speck called Earth. There is something bigger than us, Something bigger than earth, and as time runs out we find that we are still trying to live beautifully. We are defiant and rebellious in our thoughts. Even looking into the face of 'naked entropy' we stand proudly in our fragile security, and we always have the last word. But when the word is spoke, the one who speaks is the one with something to prove, the silent one show his great might by actions, he does not argue it with words, and it shows our weakness in bold letters. But we will live on for a time, and that 'damn beautiful' life keeps us pushing for more. Maybe we live far shorter than the Void, but the Life as a mist will be remembered more and counted greater than that mindless cold.
'And light is like a halo over ev'ry thing.' Brian Buckley replies: "Less than specks - that's certainly true. They sell posters that are just a black background with thousands of little white dots on it, and the poster explains that each one is a galaxy, and that what you're seeing is only a tiny fraction of the whole. Really boggles the mind. For the rest of your comment, I think you nailed it pretty closely - we humans talk a lot, but the real Void never answers, just slowly destroys. Make the best of it, eh?"
17 Sep 2004
Anonymous
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Wow. It sounds like one of the classic poems. I like how earth got the last word. Though sometimes you have to wonder. If earth is a spark, how likely is it that there is no fire somewhere? Brian Buckley replies: ""We didn't start the fire... it was always burning, since the world's been turning..." Billy Joel. "
This poem has been nominated for Best Sci Fi Poem for the Elfwood Awards!!! Congratulations!!
Please visit my page for more details. Voting will commence soon and after all votes are counted I will contact you if you have won the award! Good luck! Brian Buckley replies: "Excellent... thanks for letting me know!"
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