Europa

Oh cold moon, do you hold the flicker of life beneath your cold ice?

 

 

A photograph of the moon Europa

 

Dear reader--see notes below for additional information. Best regards -- Rick

 

   Europa

       

 

Frigid orb, share now thy secrets.

What do you shroud from eye of Man?

What cuddle you, if aught, enfolded ‘neath thy icy cloak?

Do you hide great secret with thy distance?

 

Oh fair, Phoenician goddess,

Princess of Tyre and beloved of Zeus,

Chase you silent, cold moon, ‘bout your circuit,

Entranced still by thy Lord’s mighty pull?

 

Issue of Io, Hera’s priestess,

She, too, abducted by lustful Jupiter,

Share you thy Lord’s attendance with matriarch of your line,

Innermost in your Master’s circle?

 

But that grande dame, barren is she now,

And of hot temper,

Churned by the intemperate whims of her Lord.

She is spent and will no children bear.

 

Sad Europa, scored is your face.

Cold orb, sad is your heart.

Yet do gentle children laugh in thee?

What tender treasures may yet spring from thee?

 

Mournful Lady, eyes are upon you.

You have ensnared heart with hope.

We watch thee with anticipation of Life's fire.

May your legacy bring miracle and wonderment to all.

 

 

 

 

 

©2009 Richard Puetter

All rights reserved

 

 

 

Notes

      Compared to other moons found in the solar system, Europa’s surface is smooth and young. This has led to the speculation that beneath its surface may be a water ocean that could harbor life. Because of this possibility, NASA is planning to launch a mission to Europa in 2020, the Europa, Jupiter System Mission.

 

      Io and Europa are moons of Jupiter. In mythology, Io was the priestess of Hera, Zeus’ wife.  It is further thought that Europa's lineage descended from Io. Both Io and Europa were raped by Zeus, giving them "goddess" status although they were of mortal birth.  Io is also the innermost Galilean moon of Jupiter. So she is “Innermost in your Master’s circle”. However, being so close in to Jupiter, Io’s interior is churned by orbital stress, which heats the moon’s interior, causing extensive volcanism, and so the moon is so hot that life almost certainly cannot exist there, i.e., “She is spent and will no children bear”. But Europa is much cooler and probably has brine oceans below the ice layers which may harbor life. Let’s hope that future space probes will recognize and discover this life.

Reviews

[Greg Close]

I think NASA is moving forward with a Europa probe in the near future, which of course will be the not-so-near future by the time it arrives, but still... a timely piece. Great word choice, great rhythm, great research and great juxtaposition of the classical and scientific. As usual, just pretty great all around.

[Nancy Lee Shrader]

Now this is poetry at its best. Well Done Rick!

[J.R Schlievert]

just learned something! thank you rick!

[Hampgal]

Hi Rick,

Great subject! I recall an Io moth from my childhood, don't suppose there is a Europa moth as well...

Poor Europa looks rather blood-stained in the photo.

"Chase you silent.." Nice!

Kathee

[papaed]

Rick,
A wonderful piece about a true mystery. I'm a sci fi fan and have always had an interest in the moons... I see your interest is in the mythology. This is a wonderful picture also... easy to stare and ask questions... what is the red? Why does it look like an egg with the shell removed? Is there really life below that ice surface? How hick is the ice? I suppose a probe may go within our lifetime.

Thanks for this wonderful piece and the intellectual stimulation.
papaed

[V. Lucien Maier]

great subject. on a formatting level your stuff is all perfect. And to be wholly honest I don't think I would be properly tooled to criticize this caliber of classic work. All the work of yours I have looked shows this level of dedication you have to language. You have some Tolkien in your blood ;).
But again I am not one to criticize this type of work because I could not do it myself.
I have a few friends that I will pass it on to.
Lucien

[spence]

Wow Rick! Europa is my favourite known place in our solar system and this poem sums up a lot of my feelings about it. I once wrote, (in an 'otherworldly' state) an induced poetic 'thesis' that described the solar system as an ovulating entity of which we are the eggs. I promoted the idea that the moon europa was the next egg to be fertilised once the earth had had its chance to nurture, as perhaps Mars had before us (Venus before then I think I said)- the planets realigning each time and gravitational forces taking moons around the larger planets to imbue them with the 'things' necessary for sentient life, etc. The macro-macro-theory being that once a species was succesful, ie not pollute or blow the planet to extinction, we would grow to a God sized entity that would become a new solar system birther from the old. At least you know now why I'm not a scientist and why I usually lose the 'scientist/stoner' bet with the logical part of my family.
This is about your writing though, so I'll get to the poem! Thuis isn't the first time I've been impressed by your ability to use language the way that you do. For a progressive thinking scientist you can sure use the realms of fantasy to your advantage and the mythological aspects of this are breathtaking. Your work reminds me that the wildest imaginings are only matched by the reality of the cosmos we exist in- and i thank you for that reminder too. Even idealists can become single minded and 'stuck in their ways' and you have shattered more of my pre-conceptions than almost anyone I have ever met! (I guess i developed a mistrust of science's search for truth as a young animal rights activist as i regarded animal testing/vivisection as a callous disregard of life and morally repugnant and it closed my mind a bit, but that's another story!)
Astrologically Jupiter is my ruling planet and though that may not really mean anything beyond a twisted determinstic ploy of retaining fate fuelled subordination en masse, I quite like the symbolism of the eternal optimist/creator thing. I didn't know anything about Io, but it's always great to learn from your poetry and footnotes. It's a shame the mission has to wait more than a decade, but I suppose these things take lots of planning and jumping hoops of beuracratic red tape. Anyhow- another great poem, info and image, (though I'm too tired to come up with a haiku for this one), take care, spence

[Sheila Kline]

As I read this, I have visions of Rick, the astrophysicist so infinitely linked to the celestial realm, and as you gaze deeply into the depths of space, I see you contemplating the possibilities of life beyond our world, and as you link the two together with mythology, I realize you have meshed them to create a masterpiece....another one!

I admit that I am not schooled in mythology, but as you explain the actions of Zeus, and lo, and Hera and Europa, I piece together a wonderful story full of intrigue, but most importantly of possibilities for life!...newly discovered life! I still so enjoy the reference to Mournful Lady!
Did you have the phrase "grand dame" in the original posting? I don't remember it...but, I really like this also.
Rick...THIS IS GRAND!!...AND, IS NOW MY SECOND FAVORITE OF YOURS!!!

And, it is so exciting to think of what Europa may hold for us!!!....Oh my, how very exciting!!
I shall not remove my first review as it shows how varied interpretations may be. I am so very glad that I came back for a second look!!

[Mark]

This is so "Rick", in so many ways, in its scholarship, its philosophical meander, and yet at the same time so "not-Rick", as I did not perceive the carefully sculpted rhyme and meter so much a hallmark of your poetry. So, another layer of the onion exposed, another level of our teacher-scientist-poet is revealed!I wouls offe two minor suggestions if I may. "Enfolds" is a verb; I would change either the word to "folds", or the phrase to "enfolded 'neath your white cloak". And "...no children bare" should be "bear".
I was a huge Mythology buff in my youth, so I had no diff understanding all the interrelationships to which you referred. Yes, Zeus/Jupiter was a cad of the first order; even as a child I wondered what was up with worshipping one such as he! But if I was married to Hera, I'd probably do all that I could to get out of Olympus, too, wouldn't you?

[emmajoy]

I've read this three times, not only to recognise lunar details set amongst lyrical words, but, to find the flow of meter.

You've taken this reader into an unknown realm and introduced me the as yet unexplained secrets of Europa. There are metaphors and more, weaving astral details with Greek myths, interpretations and what might be inspiring phrases: ' Mournful Lady, eyes are upon you. / You have ensnared heart with hope. /We watch thee with anticipation of Life's fire. /May your legacy bring miracle and wonderment to all. '

'What cuddle you, if aught, / 'neath in the enfolds of thy ice? /Do you hide great secret with thy distance?'
Mysterious phrases, enticement to learn more; imagination taking wing in spite of scientific exploration and analysis of fact .. if not now, but whenever.

Man gave these 'moons' their names and so embellished them with myth - perhaps because myth's truths are as unknown as a billions of the scientific ones.

It's truly wonderful that someone with both your knowledge and literary skill can marry two complex subjects and produce something quite beautiful.

' Europa is much cooler and probably has brine oceans below the ice layers which may harbor life. Let's hope that future space probes will recognize and discover this life.' And whilst NASA is doing that, we'll still be abusing Earth!

Thank you for inviting me to read yet another of your thought-provoking posts.