Song and Dance

Diagram of the geocentric trajectory of Mars from “Astronomia Nova” (1609) by Johannes Kepler

Johannes Kepler thought we only make music
in imperfect imitation of Harmonices Mundi
the choir of planets singing 
as they waltz around the sun;
every whirling world a mighty crotchet; 
their orbits, cosmic staves
notated by ‘our Lord’.

You can measure their heavenly motion as sound if you so wish.

‘Orbital resonance’ is a fact of celestial mechanics.

Is that music? God knows — or Apollo. But I heard
that the heart of the galaxy smells
like raspberries and rum,
and if that’s true, well then, well then, well —
the stars might dance to chutney soca. 

[Wes Viola is a pen name of Wes White. Wes is one of the Elder Bards of Ynys Witrin – which is the Druidic name for his hometown of Glastonbury, in England. ‘Song and Dance’ is taken from his poem cycle ‘Weird Medieval October’, currently seeking a publisher. You can explore more of his work at http://linktr.ee/wesviola]

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