DAY #56 - Hyperspatial Saudade, Chapter 3

We're cleaning and clearing today, as the project is coming to an end.  Thanks to the LEA and everyone who participated.

But as promised, we are sharing more of Savage Taurus' short story series.  Enjoy!

Image by Wildstar Beaumont, for Designing Worlds Episode DW336

 Chapter 3 ~ Neptune  

 by Savage Taurus 

      (c) May 2017

"Where do we want to look next?" asked Navigator Ohmlohmff.

"We tried the planet closest to the star. How about the one farthest away?" suggested Translator Mawplawv.

"No problem." Ohml tapped the holographic console with her tendrils and said, "And awaaay we go!" The forward display showed them shooting away from the tiny planet and the blindingly bright star, though they felt no inertial jerking or jostling within the craft. 

The Exploration Craft was similar in shape and texture to the pearlescent shells on the crewmembers' backs. It was rounded on one end and a conical spiral on the other. There was no up or down. The floor, walls, and ceiling were all one continuous surface that the crew moved around on. In the front of the craft was a large forward display and a line of holographic consoles that circled it. Toward the back of the craft was a series of compartments that spiraled off from the main chamber. The back tip of the ship contained the N^3 and N^6 drive engines. 

"Wrote a new poem," said Ohml. "I've just been feeling inspired. Don't worry, this one's not about you. We both know you were never quick."

DAY #55 - Last Day, but not Last Post!

Today is the final day to visit Poetry of the Planets and explore the seven planetary sphere's inspired by the music of Gustav Holst.  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA4/130/119/30

But this will not be the last post on this blog.  Savage Taurus has taken on the epic of a short story series and we will be posting his subsequent installments here, because we said we would.

Here is the next chapter:

Image by Wilstar Beaumont, shot fro Designing Worlds DW336

Hyperspatial Saudade

Chapter 2 ~ Mercury 

by Savage Taurus

      (c) May 2017

"Wake up, we're here," Navigator Ohmlohmff said with a complex pattern of flashing lights that scintillated across her translucent skin, accompanied by squeaks and squeals from her small mouth. The sounds got the attention of Translator Mawplawv, and he turned his two eyestalks toward her to see what she was saying.

"I'm awake," he responded with his own choreography of flashes and squeaks. He extended his gelatinous arms and neck out of his opalescent shell and slid closer to his long time work companion. "Was just reading your poem on the database. It's good."

"I thought you hated my poems," she said in a despondent tone.

"No, I never hated them. It's just...the ones about...me...were too much...I couldn't..." His speech trailed off, leaving silence between them. Ohml looked at him and understood. She knew what he was feeling, so she let it drop.

DAY #54 - Jupiter's Ball Today

Our last event is today, a little sad and a lot celebratory.

Join us for JUPITER'S BALL Today from 1-3pm slt, as DJ Dano Bookmite provides the perfect musical bookend to our project.  No torturing with the maze, this slurl will take you right to Jupiter's Ballroom.  (Or look for teleport signs at the main landing area on Olympus Island)

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA4/161/56/2643

Image by Wildstar Beaumont, for Designing World's DW336

And, just because it seems fitting, a reprise of MeteorMags planetary poem to Jupiter.

Jupiter

a planetary poem

by MeteorMags

you make me laugh until we tumble

into this drift like asteroids

coaxed by gravity

to surround this jovial hydrogen bastard

who disturbs the belt with his frivolities

and storms

laughter heals and lifts us past the pain

your tears on my shoulder and fictions

we dream together

love me for an hour then leave

traces of your orbit and clues you give

astronomers

to the sadness of the inner planets

where life only makes them realize

they’re small

i will never let them touch you

with telescopes and equations

I will erase their blackboards and crush their lenses

until all they know is mystery like a fool

i would keep you to myself

though your brightness burns for everyone

annihilation comes easily

rejuvenation takes more effort

or none at all

one word

one touch

will inspire

##

Poetry of the Planets will close on LEA 4 at 8am slt on Wednesday, May 31st. Some submitted works will continue to be posted here.
Thanks one and all for participating!

DAY #53: Poems & Stories Today at 3:30pm slt

Today, the work of over a dozen Second Life Residents who have contributed compositions to the Poetry of the Planets project will be showcased in a live reading event.

Poetry & Stories of The Planets 
Sunday, May 28th  3:30-4:30pm slt
Poetry of the Planets Events - LEA 4

Two more of Aeon Woodford's Cycle of Odes today!

Ode: to Mercury 
By Aeon Woodford

With messages both sad and propitious
Mercurial Messenger —with wingéd shoes 
And hat and sun god-gifted caduceus,
In uncharted heavens dost thou cruise. 

Inventor of the lyre, Thou would’st  approve 
Of high-pitched harp and flute and glockenspiel 
Employed to praise and describe thy quantum move.
We climb the spiral staircase thy missives to unseal.

One white-hot side thy planet shows the sun;
The nether region e’er cold and dark. 
Th’incredible heat the other planets shun
Gives words thou would’st bring that we must hark.

Light side, dark side—bad news or good—
    Your heav’nly words we need have understood. 

Ode: To Saturn
By Aeon Woodford

O Saturn, thou ancient Bringer of Old Age, 
The elder father to the rest, whose reign
Was known for plenty and peace, whose sage
Rule gave us earth’s bounty with no pain.

His celebratory music—unsettling, slow—swells
A heavy march, like the long upward climb
Past windows of the soul. With brassy bells
To mark inexorably the passage of time.

The zenith—obfuscated by white fleecy haze—
Where one abruptly drops into abyss
Or otherwise may into fathoms gaze
And ponder the void in search of bliss.

Gas giant floating in the void, do the rings around

Thy girth constrain thee as we mortals are also bound?

##

Poetry of the Planets will close on LEA 4 at 8am slt on Wednesday, May 31st. Some submitted works will continue to be posted here.
Thanks one and all for participating!

DAY #52 - A Saga Begins at Saturn

Savage Taurus has taken on the epic challenge of a short story series: Hyperspatial Saudade.

We're happy to feature the first chapter today! More to come ... we promised!

 Hyperspatial Saudade

* Chapter 1 ~ Saturn * 

by Savage Taurus

 (c) May 2017

"We just passed the oort cloud. Get ready to transition from N^6 space to N^3 space," the Navigator said as she looked over at her shipmate. "Ready?" she asked.

"Ready," he responded.

The Navigator tapped the glowing holographic console and they were overwhelmed with the unsettling sensation of being twisted and turned inside out. It only lasted a few seconds, but it left aftershocks that reverberated through their bodies.

The Navigator shuddered uncontrollably and said, "That always gives me the willies."

DAY #51: The End is Nigh & the Real Blue Marble

FINALE WEEKEND is almost here. It has been a great two months, and now it is time to wrap up Poetry of the Planets and send it off into the virtual cosmos with our final two events:

Poetry & Stories of The Planets 
Readings from the featured poems submitted since this project began in early April.
Sunday, May 28th from 3:30-4:30pm slt
Poetry of the Planets Events - LEA 4

Jupiter's Ball
Celestial tunes spun by DJ Dano Bookmite
Monday, May 29th  from 1-3 pm slt
Poetry of the Planets - Jupiter - the Ballroom level

And today's featured poem challenges which spinning orb is really the true big, blue marble.

Image courtesy of Wildstar Beaumont for Designing Worlds Episode DW336

Sky Blue Titan

© 2017 by Corwyn Allen

When one views the blue sky

it is usually done from beneath,

from inside the encapsulating

bubble of atmosphere.

When we look at you,

we look upon your skies 

from without and see a ball 

of unblemished blue.

The color is pure, vivid,

and quite unlike the blue

of Earth's skies as seen 

from its surface. 

When one views Earth from space

it is often called a big blue marble,

and yet blue is but one color

among her many agate hues. 

To truly see a big blue marble, 

one need only look to Uranus.

##

Poems and stories (2000w or less) can be submitted at the drop boxes on LEA 4, or by emailing them to caledoniaskytower at g mail (dot) com. And YES, feel free to illustrate your submissions!

DAY #50: Playing Catch-Up with Neglected Neptune

Yes, the ancient creator of horses has been feeling neglected indeed, and so we give him another day in appeasement.

More wonderful odes from Aeon Woodford.

Ode: To Neptune

By Aeon Woodford

The Mystic Neptune, transcendent, gives us cause

To focus out on where his sphere does spin,

Immanent, conversely, gives us pause

To meditate on treasures deep within.

Melodic harp and strings, which culminate

In crowning exaltation—mystic choir,

A tribute to thine other worldly state

That draws us always deep—yet ever higher.

The brilliant, buoyant objects of thy state

Countless fathoms ‘neath tumultuous brine

From bubble perch we bobbl’ing contemplate

Primordial ooze, distracted from thy grand design.

If this protective shell would popping, break our stance,

Then finally we’d rejoin the great expanse.

##

Poems and stories (2000w or less) can be submitted at the drop boxes on LEA 4, or by emailing them to caledoniaskytower at g mail (dot) com. And YES, feel free to illustrate your submissions!