by Svetlana Goryacheva
Member since:
June 4, 2006

ON STARS AND PEOPLE... (A Miniature - Poem In Prose)

May 02, 2009 06:27 AM EDT (Updated: May 02, 2009 07:48 AM EDT)
views: 97 | comments: 54

Dedicated warmly to my dear friend John Beck and all the lovers of astronomy on the International Astronomy Day, May 2.

 

Stars on the sky are akin to people -

They are born like people

Out of the nebulae' gas and dust;

They live and die like people,

So variegated in their colors

And in their respective pathways.

 

Some never leave the stage

Of a wan red dwarf

That can sustain itself for eons

By sparing its nucleus' energy,

But gives only the scant light

And has little influence on others.

 

Some live the ordinary life

Of a main sequence's dweller,

Shining brighter while burning their fuel out,

Getting families, the arrays of planets,

And finally, like the old retired generals,

Not die, but just fade away.

 

But there are also others who choose

To break out of the prescribed circle

And explode like a radiant Supernova,

Leaving only the pulsating heart

To serve as the source of X-rays

For myriads of parsecs* around...

 

 

Svetlana Goryacheva

 

May 2, 2009

 

*) Parsec - a unit of astronomical length based on the distance from Earth at which stellar parallax is 1 second of arc; equivalent to 3.262 light years.

 

Music by Jean-Michelle Jarre ("Oxygene" - Part 1)

 

 
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Comments: 54

JOHN BECK May 2, 2009, 7:12am EDT
What a lovely surprise! Thank you abundantly, dear Sveta. I am attending the annual meeting of the North Central Region, Astronomical League (NCRAL) as we "speak". It includes representation from Wisconsin, Illinois, North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota.
The poem is marvelous and most appreciated.
JOHN BECK May 2, 2009, 7:13am EDT
Oh, yes. The Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan is included as well.
John Doyle May 2, 2009, 7:28am EDT
L lovely tribute to a fine man
Svetlana Goryacheva May 2, 2009, 7:28am EDT
Thank you so very much, dearest John... Happy Astronomy Day to you and your colleagues from a Russian amateur stargazer! :-)

Dear Devaa - my deepest and warmest gratitude for your kind comment! :-)

Blessings and best wishes in a plenty - S.
Svetlana Goryacheva May 2, 2009, 7:29am EDT
Thank you wholeheartedly, dear Bard! :-)

Hugs and blessings - S.
Kathryn E. May 2, 2009, 8:07am EDT
A wonderful tribute, one for the 'stars', so to speak. I enjoyed this very much.

Featured in the Triple Name Club.
Svetlana Goryacheva May 2, 2009, 8:13am EDT
Thank you so very much for the honor, Kathryn, my sweet friend! :-)

Hugs and blessings - S.
William Dotani May 2, 2009, 8:30am EDT
Excellent analogy and a fine tribute to a good man.
Svetlana Goryacheva May 2, 2009, 8:33am EDT
Thank you kindly, dear Bill! :-)

Blessings and best wishes - S.
Kushal Poddar May 2, 2009, 8:33am EDT
Lovely and very intellectual gift to our friend and for everyone who shall read it completely.

Annals of justice
Svetlana Goryacheva May 2, 2009, 8:35am EDT
Thank you wholeheartedly, dear Poddar... your kind words are much appreciated! :-)

Blessings and best wishes - S.
That was beautiful; full of meaning and emotion! GREAT WORK!
Svetlana Goryacheva May 2, 2009, 10:04am EDT
Thank you kindly, dearest Maryann! :-)

Blessings and best wishes - S.
Karen E. May 2, 2009, 10:43am EDT
I had no idea...how wonderful to learn more about John and also read your inspiring poem. Here on the farm, away from city lights, the night sky is bejeweled. I love sitting out in the pasture at night and feeling connected to such greatness.
Svetlana Goryacheva May 2, 2009, 10:49am EDT
Oh-h, sweet Karen, I do envy you a little bit... here, with all these city lights and all, we're not even nearly so blessed. ;-)

Love and hugs - S.
Jennifer Lee May 2, 2009, 11:03am EDT
Great poem and wonderful tribute to our treasured friend. Thank you, Sveta!
Svetlana Goryacheva May 2, 2009, 11:14am EDT
You're most welcome, darling, as always! :-)

Love and hugs - S.
Haim Kadman May 2, 2009, 12:32pm EDT
Well done Svetlana, so are we stars or just stars' dust... Watching the sky on a clear night time, that's one's feeling are, I guess.
Svetlana Goryacheva May 2, 2009, 12:35pm EDT
Thank you so very much, dear Haim - it's always a pleasure to hear from you! :-)

Blessings and best wishes - S.
Svetlana Goryacheva May 2, 2009, 2:10pm EDT
Thank you wholeheartedly, dear Jim! :-) I'm moved beyond all expressions...

Blessings and best wishes - S.
How beautiful and and sparkling =) captured the emotion beautifully~
Svetlana Goryacheva May 2, 2009, 2:55pm EDT
Thank you so very much, my dear! :-)

Hugs and blessings in great abundance - S.
libramoon C. May 2, 2009, 3:01pm EDT
"we are stardust"
Chris Brockman May 2, 2009, 3:03pm EDT
What a brilliant (pun intended) analogy. I offer to you and John one of my favorite quotes.

It is from these atoms—blown apart, formed, and reformed over the course of some 18 billion years—that all the stars and planets of the universe are formed, including our particular star and planet. And it is from the atoms present on this planet that living systems assembled themselves and evolved. Each atom in our own bodies had its origin in this explosion 18 billion years ago. You and I are flesh and blood, but we are also stardust.
Helene Curtis in
Biology
Svetlana Goryacheva May 2, 2009, 3:04pm EDT
Exactly, my dear friend... exactly! :-)

Blessings and best wishes - S.
Svetlana Goryacheva May 2, 2009, 3:05pm EDT
Chris, dear - thank you so very much for the fabulous quote! :-)

Blessings and best wishes - S.
Alison H. May 2, 2009, 3:08pm EDT
So very true! Wonderful analogy and tribute to our beloved John.
Svetlana Goryacheva May 2, 2009, 3:10pm EDT
Thank you kindly for your words, dear Alison - we're all so fond of our dear John! :-)

Blessings and best wishes - S.
Wilhelmine Estabrook May 2, 2009, 3:50pm EDT
Oh, Svetlana, this is simply grand. It really soars.
Svetlana Goryacheva May 2, 2009, 4:01pm EDT
So wonderful to see you here, dear Wilhelmine... thank you! :-)

Hugs and blessings - S.
anna vee May 2, 2009, 4:46pm EDT
I love this! I'm looking forward to reading more of you Svetlana :)
Svetlana Goryacheva May 2, 2009, 4:52pm EDT
Thank you so very much for your most kind comment, dear Anna! :-)

Blessings and best wishes - S.
Mustafa Demiri May 2, 2009, 10:33pm EDT
Wonderful poem, Svetlana! If we are all stars in this Galaxy we call Gather, then you are the constant Polaris, around which we all revolve. You are a good friend to everyone; always kind, helpful, and brilliant in your celebrations.
Svetlana Goryacheva May 3, 2009, 2:22am EDT
Thank you for your most kind and moving words, dear Mustafa! :-)

Blessings and best wishes in a plenty - S.
David N. May 3, 2009, 8:04am EDT
How fantastic. You are an elite heart!
Svetlana Goryacheva May 3, 2009, 8:07am EDT
Many thanks from a "little Moscow Sparrow"! :-)

Blessings and best wishes - S.
Barbra L. May 3, 2009, 11:16am EDT
Superb anthropomorpic attribution of human characteristics, especially the last stanza; my favorite: But there are also others who choose/To break out of the prescribed circle/And explode like a radiant Supernova,/Leaving only the pulsating heart/To serve as the source of X-rays/For myriads of parsecs* around...

Lovely/thoughtful/insightful dedication to your nice friend, John Beck.
Svetlana Goryacheva May 3, 2009, 12:26pm EDT
Thank you so very much, Barb, my dear friend - it's always a pure delight to hear from you! :-)

Love and hugs - S.
Sunaura *. May 3, 2009, 12:38pm EDT
Magnificent -I love it
Svetlana Goryacheva May 3, 2009, 12:40pm EDT
Thank you wholeheartedly, dear Sunaura! :-)

Blessings and best wishes - S.
Curt L. May 3, 2009, 2:05pm EDT
An inspired tribute to a great man!
Svetlana Goryacheva May 3, 2009, 2:10pm EDT
Thank you kindly, dear Curt! :-)

Blessings and best wishes - S.
Kerrell g. May 3, 2009, 6:56pm EDT
A W S O M E !
lynn a. May 3, 2009, 10:02pm EDT
This has been awesome. I loved your words and tribute and the music. This makes me want to go to our local Planetarium. That's the only way we will see anything remotely like this. Truly has been a beautiful video. I enjoyed it a lot, Svetlana.
Jean E. May 5, 2009, 8:59am EDT
sweet svet ~ as I tell my other poetry writing friends, I am far from the right person to give a critique ~ but I can tell you when I like something I read ~ and I not only LIKE this but LOVE it ~ you have an eloquence that many do not have ~ a huge hug to you ~j
Svetlana Goryacheva May 5, 2009, 9:03am EDT
Thank you all from the very depth of my heart, my dearest ones! :-)

Hugs and blessings in great abundance - S.
Svetlana Goryacheva May 5, 2009, 2:11pm EDT
Thank you kindly, Chrisulen'ka moi! :-) I know that you're, too, a lover of astronomy, so I hoped that you'd appreciate it as well.

Lyublyu tebya - hugs and blessings - S.
Sheila Deeth May 5, 2009, 8:13pm EDT
Oh how lovely! And especially so since it brings back memories of astronomy courses taken long ago.
Svetlana Goryacheva May 6, 2009, 2:44am EDT
I've spent my younger days in the Moscow Planetarium - a lot of my closest and dearest friends here came from there. It was a great school, in every aspect! :-)

Blessings and best wishes - S.
Quinn (aka Entwife) Blackburn May 27, 2009, 2:42pm EDT

Stellar poetry!

:) wishing you laughter
Svetlana Goryacheva May 27, 2009, 3:06pm EDT

Thank you in great abundance, my dear friend! :-)

Blessings and best wishes - S.

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