“Planetary Motion” by Julie McNeill
Poetry Pause is the League of Canadian Poets’ daily poetry dispatch. Read “Planetary Motion” by Julie McNeill, first published in Poetry Pause in December 2020.
Planetary Motion
By Julie McNeill
as seen by NASA
From mission control,
these dances are always filled with nervous bodies:
Couples, crowds of moonsโฆ
waiting for a turn at the photo booth
practicing their pose for New Horizonโs fly-by.
The kisses of passing meteors, an entrรฉe into planethood for some.
The comets make a big play for attention
Impact in five, four, threeโฆ
Did you see how Pluto and Charon gaze at each other?
The dwarf planet and the fat moon
equal misfits at the school dance.
What does the year book sayโฆ destined forโฆ an eternity together.
There arenโt a lot of choices in these orbits.
Can Charon even see Plutoโs big heart?
Smooth and unscathed โ young, they say โ
Pluto must think heโs holding on to heaven.
What else could she be?
Copyright ยฉ Julie McNeill
First appeared in Poetry Pause on December 2, 2020.
A Toronto poet and graphic designer. Eager for the world to find peace.
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