In Response to “When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer” by Walt Whitman
When I saw the learn’d astronomer
dance back and forth in front of the blackboard,
two-stepping equations to the tune
of velocity, time, and distance as the chalk dust flew
like converging particles of interstellar dust,
the room began to rotate and I heard and felt
in perfect silence the stars and planets move.
Leaving my notebook behind, I rose from the classroom
and wandered off in the bright morning air refreshed and uplifted.
dance back and forth in front of the blackboard,
two-stepping equations to the tune
of velocity, time, and distance as the chalk dust flew
like converging particles of interstellar dust,
the room began to rotate and I heard and felt
in perfect silence the stars and planets move.
Leaving my notebook behind, I rose from the classroom
and wandered off in the bright morning air refreshed and uplifted.
Gene Twaronite is a Tucson poet and the author of five poetry collections. His first poetry book, Trash Picker on Mars, was the winner of the 2017 New Mexico-Arizona Book Award. His latest poetry collection is Death at the Mall (Kelsay Books). A former Writer-in-Residence for Pima County Public Library, he leads a poetry workshop for University of Arizona OLLI. Follow more of Gene’s writing at: genetwaronitepoet.com & genetwaronite.bsky.social
Editor’s Note: Though this poem was accepted for publication for Issue 30, we mistakenly overlooked it. Our apologies to the poet and our readers.
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