Europa
Europa spews water in prismed plumes
erupting into space.
Moon goddess, icy-faced,
she circles her bull-god, the abducting lover.
He is drawn to her, iron to her magnet,
but she keeps her distance in this ancient contrapuntal dance.
Our past, our future,
she whispers
in shadows and light
in language with the smooth smell of ever-
never and if—
just beyond understanding
she aches music,
dripping harmony into diamond showers
while we dream
of floating in a cerulean sea,
the whisper in its slipstream–
our past, our future.
*“Icy Moon of Jupiter Spews Water into Space”
Morning Edition, NPR, May 14, 2018
Merril D. Smith is an independent scholar with a Ph.D. in American History and numerous books on history and gender issues. Her poetry and stories have appeared recently in Rhythm & Bones, Vita Brevis, Streetlight Press, Ghost City, Twist in Time, and Mojave Heart Review. Her blog is at merrildsmith.com.
Brava for “Europa.” Congratulations to Merril!
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Beautiful! A wonderful blending of news and myth.(K)
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Wonderful!
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Wonderful poem, Merril! Congratulations. The footnote at the end brought it all together for me.
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Congratulations Merril! Wonderful reflection on the then and now –
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Wonderful! “she aches music” love it!
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