Journey Through the Years 

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Image by Thailen When

Welcome back to the home of the Nomad, Mi Casa es Su Casa, settle in and sink into a word or two.

Before the pleasantries over run our conversation, there is something I need to share. There is no easy way to tell you this, but right now as we speak we are locking ourselves into another serial series.

I know what you’re thinking, we’ve not long gotten out of the whole poems for planets thing I’d been playing with, and the wounds are still very fresh. However we must continue to follow where the river flows, dragging you down another rabbit hole might seem all too soon but my curiosity demands it. This is education and entertainment, at least I hope it is.

We had a great time touring our solar system from Sun to Pluto, playing around with the idea of space. Now its time to switch the focus and toy around with time. I’d like to present to you…

“A Journey Through the Years”.

The idea for this new journey came to me while I was doing some additional reading for my last project. Wondering into a labyrinth of mythology and symbolism I stumbles onto the Chinese Zodiac.  The Chinese Zodiac is a collection of 12 animals, each representing a year in a 12 year cycle, according to a lunar calendar. Its a concept that has been around for years, with an origin story that is sustained through time in differing versions. The work of Joseph Campbell on mythology has taught me to pay attention to these myths and legends that survive the test of time.

“Myths are public dreams, dreams are private myths.”

Joseph Campbell

The 12 Zodiac animals, in their given order, are:

  1. Rat
  2. Ox
  3. Tiger
  4. Rabbit
  5. Dragon
  6. Snake
  7. Horse
  8. Goat
  9. Monkey
  10. Rooster
  11. Dog
  12. Pig

 

During the coming weeks will be introduced to each of the animals in turn. You will meet the animals through open letters, poems, monologues or pictures. The medium of representation for each will be left to the discretion of my muse and the characteristics and traits of the animal.

Stay Tuned.

B.N.

 

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Poems for Planets: Pluto 

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Finally we have reached the end. If you have kept in touch with all the latest develooments  in the world of all thing space you would have deemed yesterdays post the final entry in my poems for planets. This isn’t the case.

When I studied the solar system in school, all those years ago, I was taught 9 planets. There was a whole mnemonic device to help me remember, till this day I fail to forget. I stay true to my original 9, here I offer to you some poetry for distant Pluto. 

Lingering at the very edge of our solar system Pluto follows hus course. Having been demoted to the rank of Dwarf planet in 2006 pluto only gets an honorary mention in the conversation of planets. It’s made primarily of over water and some rock. When I say some rock, I really do mean some rock. Pluto is home to more water mass than all of earths oceans combined, despite being considerably smaller. While Pluto makes it’s rounds, there lives a moment that offers it a chance at possessing an atmosphere. It drifts close enough to the sun to allow the heat of to melt it’s stores of ice. Crystal glaciers turn into coursing streams.

Mythologically Pluto is the god of the underworld. If you wish me to offer a Greek comparison, as I have done for most of my planets, I would have to offer up Hades. It’s a fitting position in the system for the overseer of the after world. Tucked away from the light and close to the blackness of this eternal night.

My plan was to book end this series with two Haikus. Short sweet meditations on the two poles, The Sun and the brother of Poseidon and Zeus.

With these words we part from an interesting journey through space.

I hope you enjoy my parting gift.

Pluto: Haiku

Cast out to shadows,

Frozen away in Hades.

Weeping at the sun.

B.N.

P.N. Feel free to revisit the rest of the series. Which has been your favourite? What new piece of knowledge have you been able to take away from these Poems?

Poems for Planets: Neptune

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As the days roll on, here we stand. Keeping to given course and moving into the closing phase of this saga. Writing for todays post was a gentle reminder that depth is a hairs bredth away. This pursuit words allows me to step into a world wilder than I deemed true.

I refuse to break from the format my initial plan had set out of for each of the 9 planets. Looking into the form I had chosen for Neptune tested my focus and creativity.

Not too long ago I discovered a poetry style called erasure. Its a form of found poetry which involves taking a body of text that already exists and prying a new piece of work out of it, erasing words to leave only the words I wish to inclulde. There in Lies my challenge.

Ill begin by saying a few words about the planet in question today.

Neptune is the 8th planet form the sun. This distance kept it hidden from the acients until 1846. Its one of the ice giants, meaning a ball of hydrogen and other gases. Being the smallest of this family, it still has mass to it, making up for its size in density. Its a little ways off from earth, we originally worked out its positioning using mathamatical predictions, only one spacecraft has flown past neptune, so there is plenty more to be known about this planet.

Mythologically Neptune has been deemed the god of the sea. The greek God poseidon is Neptune, Neptune in the Greek god Poseidon, Trident and all. He was one of the 3 brothers (Zeus, Poseidon and Hades) who retired the titans, he ruled over the oceans. We can safely associate all things aquatic to this deity

My challenge Ivolved taking a piece of existing text to work with. I used an excerpt from “The Voyage Out” by Virginia Wolff, whittling out a poem for Neptune.  Truly an exercise in obscurity.

For those who dare to disregard convention, read on.

 

Neptune: Erasure

 

B.N

P.N I will be sharing my meditation on this Found poem on my Facebook page: TheBlissfulNomad

Poems for Planets: Uranus

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It’s lives!!

This series was meant to have been a weekly affair. I wanted to engage with you, the reader while sharpening my sword, so weather the quiet months while I find the words to share. I have had a few hard lessons to learn in these passing months, I’m hoping my future serial posts live up to the my original intentions. There are only 3 planters left to play with in this series. Let us end in this in style.

Let us allow Uranus to revive the project, this is an interesting character to resume the flow. It’s the only planet that is leant over on its side. It’s axis is tipped at a peculiar 98 degrees. Its earned its name as the “Ice Giant” for a very obvious reason. It doesnt have a surface per say, its a has giant of hydrogen and ice. This is a cold cold cold place.

Like many of the planets it has moons that orbit it, the names of this planet deserves a whole post for themselves, they are named after characters by Williams Shakespeare and Alexander Pope.

The mythology behind the planets is a wild and crazy winding road, Uranus is no exception to this. The god of the sky/heaven courted his mother (Gaia) to sire the titans who in turn birthed more familiar deities like Zeus and Poseidon. The Mythological aspect of our solar system is colored with oddities that are guaranteed to fascinate.

Late me waste no more of our time together and share this Ice Giants tribute in this, My Poems for Planets.

 

Uranus: Limerick
You sleep as you sweep through the motions,

Jaundiced from frozen emotions.

Your orbit is plagued

By a hoard from the stage.

You play the Oedipus who sired commotion.

 

B.N.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poems for Planets: Saturn

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Welcome fellow bloggers, readers and nomadites. This journey into the deep black vastness of our solar system lands us on a Titan. Our previous subject Jupiter is followed by Saturn. When we can separate Saturn from the other nine planets by its great rings. It has over 30 rings and 62 monds. This planet has been known to man for a long ol time. It iz visible in the sky with the naked eye.

Obviously we had to touch on some mythology to add depth to this mighty planet. This planet opens the door to some interesting family affairs. The planet Saturn is linked to Chronos, who was … dum dum dum, a Titan King. Chronos or Saturn was the God of Time.

Now this Titan is tied up in all manners of madness. He had castrated in father (Uranus) and was cautious about his children doing wrong by him, so he swallowed a bunch of them. Eventually there was some kind of family revolt and heads rolled, I couldn’t make this stuff up, it was a family feud for the ages. Essentially we have his Son (Jupiter) and his father (Uranus) either side of him. This might explain why Saturn rotates at such a high speed, hes busy keeping an eye out for each of those two.

Without further delay, here it is folks.

 

Saturn: Ballad

 

 

 

Your past has caused you mischief,

your paranoia looms.

Your patricide has turned the tide

and stalks your many moons.

 

You stretch your crystal rings

to deter your cunning seed.

You dizzy yourself in vain,

You are the last of a stunning breed,

 

You are tracing that orbit slowly,

you continue to master time.

Devouring all that fades

Chronos your power binds.

 

You are living between your kin

Your father and sun for flanks.

Each plotting some hidden sin,

there is power inside your ranks.

 

Cronus, as old as time

You have been known by many a man.

Since forever before my father,

We can see you from where we stand.

B.N.

 

 

Poems for Planets: Jupiter

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Even as the nights close out without a whisper of life across these pages, there forever remains the lingering promise of content. I never forget.

We are resuming the poetic planetary exploration with a look at Jupiter. This gas giant is the largest planet in our solar system. Methodologically Jupiter is the ruler of the sky, he bares close relations from the Greek Zeus, armed with a lightning bolt he sits at the throne.

Jupiter is the biggest planet in our solar system. Characterized by a gassy atmosphere, which earns it the name Gash Giant, and its sports a bunch a few rings and a lot of moons. Jupiter has the largest mood going. Ganymede, Jupiter’s largest moon, is larger than both Pluto and Mercury. How regal.

Without further delay let me get into it.

I present to you…

Jupiter: Acrostic

Jutting your royal rings into the thicket of this night,

Undying is your might that conjures that cutting light.

Pirouetting moons of many, score the air you breathe,

Inspecting your gaseous skies, in cries of “Glory Be!”

Titan features has this Ganymede who watches where you sleep

Eagle in eye, mighty in frame he rose from Zeus’ keep.

Raging for an age is the storm inside your heart,

the great red spot that rules the thickest of this night.

B.N.

Poems for Planets: Mars

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Another wonderful day, and  poetry must go on. I did not forget this project!

Here is the latest of the lot, and Ode for the Martians among us!!

Mars is the planet that follows on after earth. Its the second smallest planet in our solar system, but boy what a beast. Crazy weather cycles, crazy sandstorms lasting for months and despite being smaller than the other planets it has the largest mountain in this solar system. Pretty bad ass planet, a fitting planet for the god of war, that ares spirit, that red planet, that Mars.

An interesting piece of information on the mythology that I found very interesting, was the icon spear of the god Mars. It was said to tremble and shake when war was coming, Imagine the excitement on his face when he felt that. Learning and piecing it all together was a challenge for sure.

Without further delay, I give to you …

Mars: Ode

Your face forever flushed a royal crimson,

Your heart forever ready to brace the fight.

A man at arms, the ward of godly might.

 

Phobos and Deimos follow and echo your iron will*,

They march for a thousand leagues to feed you life.

Armored to the hilt holding your place in swollen nights.

 

 

We listen for coming glory in the tremors of your spear,

That summit of your Olympus that is the envy of your peers.

Your secret love for Venus showed your skill in love and war,

Though your size may strike us slight, your power harbors more.

Those torrents of raging mists rouse your passion for the fray,

Through the vigor of our Ares we live to fight another day.

*The two moons of mars.



B.N.