Pathfinding

"I could take steps on this moon or that cloud,"
- LIGHTS, "Fourth Dimension"

     I could take steps on this moon or that cloud.
     I don't want to slip, though. That would be dangerous. Should I play it safe? Oh, I should calculate the trajectory of that comet before I make a move. Wouldn't want to run into it or anything.
     Hm. What is the distance from here to that moon? Perhaps a lightyear or two. Well, that's doable.
     The parallax of this asteroid is not helping with the spinning of my thoughts. I need to focus. My field of view is slowly being blocked by the orbit of that moon. Stupid Jupiter, with all those moons!
     What about that black hole over there by that supernova? Might be a bit of a drop, though. I'm not sure about that one.
     Alright, this cloud. Simple enough. I jump, and—

     Game over.

Fixed Stars Do Not Exist

Fixed Stars Do Not Exist – a sestina

Helen Ngo

October 2011

I.

[We are] two stars in a galaxy

Drawing closer as we orbit each other again

Bound by the laws of time and space, ever so rational

Fixed as long as the great universe will stand

We are the epitome of science; exhibiting the unknown

Will we be stable forever? Perhaps it will all change tonight

II.

Light-years have separated us for millennia, but not tonight

Against the laws of cosmic tradition, we will take a stand

We cannot fight this wish anymore, catching fire, breaking rational(e)

The Milky Way itself will become undone, a changed galaxy

As celestial chaos ensues; they thought this would never happen again

All eyes are on you and me as we drop a match on the great unknown

III.

The zenith will draw an invisible line upon our hearts tonight

And we will dance upon the horizon at altitudes unknown

The people on Earth will watch our trajectory, trying to (under)stand

The mysteries hidden in the depths of a great galaxy

Men and women of science, of astronomy, of the rational

Will be amazed by Nature’s dazzling show again

IV.

And exactly what is it that captivates the galaxy?

It is the meeting of two polar opposites, an experiment unknown

The axis of the very universe will be transposed tonight

As two hearts collide in a “once in a million” fireworks show again

Nature itself will fight back with evidence of the rational

But it is too late; our light shines brighter, we will (with)stand

V.

So, welcome to this strange new galaxy

Home to my heart, nothing to you [yet] but the unknown

That will soon change; scientists always try to (under)stand

We are both pawns in the game of Science, but not tonight

Right now, this moment, Logic is eclipsed by wonder again

As you make me forget the reasons why—irrational

VI.

One day the world will look back upon this and they will (under)stand

They will say, “Remember those two, the stars that chased the day into night,

And then, in the face of danger, laughed at the unknown?”

And they will hope for such another brilliant show again

It is not often that one will dare to challenge the rational

But you and I, we are sparkling so bright that we can be seen in every galaxy

VII.                            

The very Sun is eclipsed by blinding radiance tonight, as we abandon the rational

At the precipice of the galaxy, a place I thought I’d never see again

As we stand with our hands clasped against the great unknown

To the Butterflies

Butterfly, explain to me

How did this happen?

I walked carefully

I'm lost for words

Reading between the lines

Leave me breathless, undefined

Angst and hope, they contradict

Your wings aflutter,

fine and quick

Create a spark, pure attraction

Melt the ice

an equal reaction

Wings of gossamer

Intangible weight

Strike a balance, complicate

Unique deftness, a twofold gift

Makes me nervous

Constant shift

Defying logic, thing I hate

Excite a fire

Anticipate

I look to you, one of flight

Dance a bit closer

This feels right

Anticipation, read my mind

     I'm excited. I'm nervous and I'm scared of getting my hopes up, and I'm definitely scared of being disappointed, but my excitement triumphs over them all. I'm at the point where the possibilities are still endless, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to contain my emotions despite rational thought. I'm excited to have the chance to explore something I've always wanted to do but never had the chance, and I'm excited to do it with you there. I'm excited to do something new. And in spite of myself and all the promises I made, I can't help hoping that this will change everything. I feel like it could. I feel like it will. I wonder if you can read my mind.

     I wonder if you're hoping as hard as I am.

A Challenge

The world does not understand this choice.

They trivialize it, and it is tempting to listen.

It would be easy to give in; it is an undeniable weakness.

No one ever said that it would be easy to answer to the call.

Thinking of the memories; wishing to take them back,

Trying to justify what never should have transpired.   

It isn’t worth it, no matter how it may seem in the moment;

Not when the result is waking up to feel regret.  

She is imitating fire on a stage commanded by the world, 

yet for an audience of one.

She is not a pretender, but the line is becoming blurred.

Alluring beauty draws her close under false pretenses,

But she knows that if she does not resist, she will only end up burned.

Perhaps it would be simpler to stay in this temporary home,

To ignore the one voice that is always there, waiting patiently.

But if she were to push it aside now,
what fate would that spell for the future?

If it is going to be done, it may as well be done right.

It’s just not negotiable.

It isn’t a choice that she can make.

It’s a test of character; one that has been thrown at her before.

However, this time she won’t fail.

Of Wishes and Weaknesses

     She wears her dreams like the jewelry they are; elegant, dramatic, captivating. They are subtle; the only weakness in her armor, the one easily missed. She neither shatters nor creates illusion, but instead allows the world to see her the way they wish.

     He walks in step with her, though she does not know it.

     He creates illusion. He builds grand castle walls with the vines cascading over the top; he creates a moat to surround his fortress. He has drawn the line here. The theory is that nothing ever gets too close, and nothing escapes from within... but as we all know, theories are often proven wrong, as he will learn soon enough.

     They are the ones that walk by moonlight, when the universe is asleep and the stars begin to fall. They seek the place where the fire and water meet, where dreams collide and all else fails to exist. These are the careful dreamers, the ones that single-mindedly search for the infinite, elusive possibilities of the world.

     So they will walk in two opposite directions by the guide of a natural satellite until they reach the place where the very first glimpse of dawn appears; until they find their way home. It is here that they will finally meet. These are the dreamers, those who see the dawn before the rest of the world. 

“A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.” – Oscar Wilde

lalalala after the jump

before the jump