To love a god was dangerous
although it was really
according to many stories
the great god pursuing you.
Surely an sensible girl
knew to run and hide
or was the lure too strong?

Prescient were those that named
the great planets after gods,
for they sit deep within
the interlacings of many satellites
luring other bodies into their scope
bright comets drawn into the gods embrace
destroyed within his mass
by his great and dangerous attraction

And then there are the ring systems
those stunning girdles or garlands
that first we thought were only Saturn’s crown
now our robot voyagers have shown us glorious treasures
each gas giant adorned with a skirl and swirl
of godly skirts
striped and shepherded by tiny moons
sprites joyfully dancing around their deities

Great are the old gods
Lordly their presences
Dark their love
Strong their powers

We are but lichen on a wet rock
a thin complexlayer of life
tumbling falling in an orbital curve

Gravity’s embrace encompasses gods
where tiny robots roam
sent by lichen

[Kim Whysall-Hammond is an Englishwoman, an expert in obsolete telecommunications arcana and a poet.She believes, against all evidence, that she is a good dancer and has been published by Ink, Sweat and Tears, Three Drops from a Cauldron, Amaryllis, Longshot Island, Crannóg, Star*Line, and elsewhere.]