Poem: Vapor Trails
This week’s Poet’s Corner features two poems from Erica Jolly’s commended new book Making a Stand, which juxtaposes art and science.
Streaks in the sky. Photo: Gareth Williams / flickr
Vapour Trails
Acknowledging “Apollo’s Fire: a day on earth
in nature and imagination” by Michael Sims.
They appear in the southern sky
climbing high beyond the cirrus clouds
so cold, so far above the turning earth.
Called condensation trails
beyond the Equator – streaks of white
I follow them out of sight.
Artificial clouds
products of our need
to get there yesterday.
Thinking about the ‘Goldilocks’ planet
Scientists have said
our blue planet is
‘Just right’ for us.
But Goldilocks
came, ate, slept
broke chairs.
Today, we
might call it
home invasion.
And she left
careless of destruction
and distress.
Will she be
on the ‘ship’ that
leaves Earth behind?
Erica Jolly graduated from Adelaide University with honours in history and gained her Masters in English Literature from Flinders University. She taught and held curriculum positions in secondary schools for 40 years, has been elected to the Flinders University Governing Council and Academic Senate, helped establish and combine various faculties and schools there, and has been an official university donor and supported a student bursary for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. She has authored five books: two on South Australian social history, three of her poetry. Her poems here today are from her latest book of poetry, Making a Stand, reviewed in InDaily in August.
