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By NathanRoberts
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12 June 2008 |
Note: substantial edit, comments refer to an earlier version.
Inspired by the current cosmological theories which suggest that 70% of the universe consists of Dark Energy - a type of 'anti-gravity' that would pull the universe apart. 25% is cold Dark Matter, the 'good stuff', holding galaxies together. Another 4% is invisible atoms; 0.5% Hydrogen and Helium and all other visible matter constitutes only 0.01% of the entire universe. One of these theories is called Double dark.
As to what dark energy and matter might be: one leading astrophysicist sums it up by saying:
'the two terms are placeholders for our abject ignorance. We could just as easily have labelled them 'Bert' or 'Ernie', or 'Without a Clue A' and 'Without a Clue B'. (Neil deGrasse Tyson, 'What is Enlightenment' magazine, July 2008.)
Draw the focus to the tide of breath.
Refine it to it's smallest speck
at the end of a single filament -
less than one hundreth of one percent -
and that is everything we know,
all visible matter in the universe;
a single point of consciousness
expanding like a ripple
on an ocean of Double Dark.
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Hey Nathan
Written by Goddess (124 comments posted) 12th June 2008 | Hello Nathan
I really liked the imagery in this poem. It was very deep and it really made you think. I especially liked the first stanze which juxtaposes all these many sounds and the way you described it was perfect and almost with detailed beauty.
I liked it :D
Goddess x |
Written by Phil (6685 comments posted) 12th June 2008 | I liked this. It describes a feeling that I'm hoping most of us have had from time to time. (Otherwise, I'm a real odd-bod!) Our place in 'space' is likely very fragile and fortuitous - and very insignificant in some ways. Because it's a pretty universal feeling, I felt the use of 'Dark Energy' in the piece itself was perversely distracting. For once, I thought the detailed intro was good and added to the piece.
Phil |
Written by mia_ms_kim (997 comments posted) 12th June 2008 | I did read somewhere that the outer space is not a vacuum, but packed with "something" the scientists think. Ah, what do we know, whether on macro or micro level? The more we learn, the more we get to know just how vast our ignorance is.
Why call it Dark Energy/Matter? It's depressing. Maybe they should call it Good Energy/Matter. Might as well be happy in our ignorance.
Mia  | great
Written by no1butClo (337 comments posted) 13th June 2008 | I agree with phil, the intro really helped here, and I love the ideas expressed. The feeling you're talking about is one that pretty mych everyone can relate to 'cause we're all (at the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy put it) "invisible [dots] on an invisible dot... infinitely small".
nicely done nathan,
clo x
PS not sure about postulates - didn't know it could be a verb, but i understand that postulations seems a bit wordy, so try demands or something... just a suggestions =) | Thanks all!
Written by NathanRoberts (277 comments posted) 13th June 2008 | Goddess: Well, it's along way from perfect for me, but I appreciate your words!
Phil:Your interpretation is different to mine, I think (which is cool!). Though I was trying to capture the limitations of knowledge and the relative physical insignificance of visible matter, I felt there was an implication in the final few lines that consciousness is far from insignificant.
'Because it's a pretty universal feeling, I felt the use of 'Dark Energy' in the piece itself was perversely distracting'. Sorry, don't follow you there?
Mia: Ha! Yeah, I agree. Although 'Dark Energy' is fair enough...(it's the 'baddie' in effect, causing the expansion of the universe and without Dark Matter we wouldn't be here - according to the theory). So, it's Dark Matter that's the misnomer. Also, agree regarding 'ignorance'...it makes me wonder when physicists are talking about getting close to a Theory of Everything when 96% of the universe is composed of this unexplainable, invisible 'stuff' they don't really have a clue about. I suppose they mean a Theory of Everything That's Explainable. 
Clo: Hi, and thanks. See my comment for Phil regarding the interpretation though. I think Phil's putting an athiest slant on it. Sure...we're physically insignificant, tiny beyond imagination, but just how significant is consciousness...and is it physical??
re: postulates...I double checked and I think I'm ok - postulate is a noun and a verb. To postulate also means 'Take as a given; assume as a postulate or axiom' and it was the assumption angle I was trying to get at. |
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