Earth's horizon as the sunsets over the Pacific Ocean, taken onboard the International Space Station (ISS).If we rationalize it,

          there will be no end to our excuses.

     It is heliocentric
          ( a revolution in Ptolemy's grave ).

     Luckily, fear of mockery
     talks in epicycles
     that shiver
     in the light,

     so no one dares to say
     the unspoken words:

     Earth is not the center—
     is not even a star.

          She is transient
          filled with war
          and burnt out smoke ends.

          She has reasons for love
          and preludes to lift skirts.

          She is not losing weight
          or redolent with gratitude.


     But we cannot blame her for all that vanished
     or for the dethronement of God
     and acid rain
     or the pot bellied cartoons
     that children swallow
     like pop tarts
     and sugared
     genocide.

     Anyway, it is the Sun's fault
     without financial responsibility
     or holy duty
     scathing us
     with drunken words—

     happy to give autographs,
     and burn in the charity
     of praise.

Copyright © 2008, Zayra Yves

Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center.

Zayra Yves is a spoken word artist that lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is published in The Zimbabwe Situation, The Panhandler Quarterly, Voices for Africa, Eyes of the Poet , and Reflections IIT Madras (India). She has been the featured poet on the West Marin Community Radio for "House of the Poet" and on South Africa's Independent Radio. For more information you can visit her web site: http://www.zayrayves.com.