Kepler 186f
slate.com
the wedding of science and art
mired in a swamp of disparate ideas
and now
the Kepler space telescope detects potential
planets as they cross in front of their stars,
causing them to dim
inspiration comes in waves—
consider the beauteous but secret
life of seaweed.
Photo: turbosquid.com
art and science, hand-in-hand
traipse through rain forests—
the one drenched in awe,
the other, molecules
Photo: rainforestemre.com
while permafrost melts, releasing
methane into arctic air
and parrots flaunt their
brilliant colors, but languish
Photo: shell.com
who knows what to believe
when truth is buried
in classified archives
deep in the bowels of some
federally controlled basements
Photo: ja-nae.com
and the mezzo-soprano
breaks the sound barrier
in search of truth?
This poem is written in response to a prompt I posted on dVerse Meeting the Bar where I challenge poets to jump into the waters of Dadaism. Some of the ideas expressed are mine; others are captured from my San Francisco State University Alumni Newsletter where former graduates excel in the world of the arts and science.
We would love to see you at our virtual Pub with a poem of your own! The doors open at 12:00 EDT.
Victoria C. Slotto, Author 
This is a work for the ages…and for our age, if only we are mindful. An important and beautiful poem.
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OK, the image of the “fat lady singing” tied-in with your last stanza was a hilarious way of foreshadowing the beginning of the end, as predicted by environmental scientists. (If the potential for the world ending in greenhouse gasses can be considered hilarious, that is.)
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Ha! Well done. I would very much doubt that the truth re climate change is hidden in federal basements though! It seems pretty much all about us! Poor parrot! K.
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I like the mezzo soprano breaking the sound barrier in search of truth
(giggles! )
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Oh so many disconnected yet interconnected ideas here. Indeed we are all seardhint for truth…for what’s real because of all the deception in this world.
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As do true poets and writers they search for truth. This is a brilliant post for the prompt Victoria.
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who knows what to believe
when truth is buried
in classified archives
One may not really know the truth when state secrets may be involved. Great write Victoria!
Hank
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wonderful – loved the ‘secret life of seaweed’ – and the soprano in search of the truth – K
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A lot of wisdom… And fun in this piece! 🙂
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nice combo…i like ‘art and science hand in hand’…and thanks for the great prompt…
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I love art more than science but yeah the marriage can prove beneficial.
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A real journey of the imagination.
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You manage to bring some structure and logic even to Dadaism, Victoria! Great prompt, by the way, and all the braver since you say you are not comfortable with this degree of anarchy! Some very interesting word and verse combinations there.
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I especially like the use of the word bowels here-it really captures how governments eat us up and spit us out-great lines and dadaism is the best thanks for this
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that’s one beautiful wedding ..with mezzo soporno searching for truth..smiles..
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If this is Dadaism, then you have converted this antediluvian anti-dada. Your poem is convincing, thought-provoking and beautiful.
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Such grace woven here.
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By science we want to control the nature. That is not wrong. Medicine, for instance, has greatly improved our lives. Art, though, praise nature. That is a contradiction, and it can only be solved by principal understanding.
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I love this:
“consider the beauteous but secret
life of seaweed”
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Wow, what a beautifully crafted, scientific, poetic journey you’ve conjured.
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This is too beautiful to be dada
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Your poetry always brings a big smile to my face.
How very creative and a perfectionist that you are. Talented and a kindred-spirit. 🙂
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In search of truth, that is always subjective isn’t it ~ Science and art can be melded together ~ I specially like this part:
art and science, hand-in-hand
traipse through rain forests—
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Art and science do go hand in hand, and your poetry is beautifully supported by the images. I am sure the Dadaists would revel in this!
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Love the two examples of planet Kepler and the two parrots….first, the intriguing possibilities of other life vs hypothesis and second, the outstanding color of the birds in a green lush amazon forest…just makes one ponder more..
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Yet it adds up to protest and has me running to hide howling.
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Well I know it ain’t over till the fat lady sings – but you let loose a cascade of beautiful images – unrelated and yet relatable (this dictionary claims there is no such word as relatable – maybe it’s relate-able…I think dada poets would like this and probably be awed by it. Thanks, G.
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We both dealt with the illusiveness of Truth; cool. Science, it is said, knows no holy ground on which it fears to tread; and Art recognizes no mandate, no parameters, no one form; and poetry, then, must be the shining rendering, the amalgamation of it all; & I dig that Dada prompt; one of my favorite forms to leap onto.
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in search of truth…ha…most probably…they all do…we all do in a way in our art – don’t we…? cool mix victoria – looking forward to the prompt
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I loved the ending about mezzo soprano breaking the sound-barrier. I believe art and science have a unique beauty of truth and connection. I enjoyed this poem.
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I like the idea of art and science hand in hand – one drenched in awe and the other in molecules. And, oh my, that mezzo soprano (and what garb!) — I would guess her voice would be ear-splitting.
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i love this idea and sychronicitily my last post is in words about the scribe of science only attempting to understand and report on God aka AllITis whereas ART is the gestalt language of AllITis which perhaps better characterizes AllITis in itself if you will.. Butt smiles.. my artistic endeavors of late are moving too far to the poetry of erotica to share it with a ‘clothed’ audience as such.. So i share the relevant ‘part’ with you here out of respect for your GREAT prompt!
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‘Inspiration comes in waves’ – I like how this line is mirrored by your poem as waves of images and thoughts come one after another in your write.
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That is exactly the way we would do it.. if we just would listen to the mezzo soprano — but I would truly love to be in the life of seaweed…
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ha if the mezzo soprano finds truth let me know…my guess…those vaults will be hard to find…secure from us…for our own good…of course….smiles. would be interesting to be on that walk w/ science and art…you know…i now need to ponder the secret life of seaweed…ha
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