Poem: Vapor Trails

Books & Poetry

This week’s Poet’s Corner features two poems from Erica Jolly’s commended new book Making a Stand, which juxtaposes art and science.

Wednesday December 23, 2015 Comments

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Streaks in the sky. Photo: Gareth Williams / flickr

Vapour Trails

Acknowledging “Apollo’s Fire: a day on earth
in nature and imagination” by Michael Sims.

They appear in the southern sky
climbing high beyond the cirrus clouds
so cold, so far above the turning earth.

Called condensation trails
beyond the Equator – streaks of white
I follow them out of sight.

Artificial clouds
products of our need
to get there yesterday.

Thinking about the ‘Goldilocks’ planet

Scientists have said
our blue planet is
‘Just right’ for us.

But Goldilocks
came, ate, slept
broke chairs.

Today, we
might call it
home invasion.

And she left
careless of destruction
and distress.

Will she be
on the ‘ship’ that
leaves Earth behind?

Erica Jolly graduated from Adelaide University with honours in history and gained her Masters in English Literature from Flinders University. She taught and held curriculum positions in secondary schools for 40 years, has been elected to the Flinders University Governing Council and Academic Senate, helped establish and combine various faculties and schools there, and has been an official university donor and supported a student bursary for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. She has authored five books: two on South Australian social history, three of her poetry. Her poems here today are from her latest book of poetry, Making a Stand, reviewed in InDaily in August.

Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to poetscorner@solsticemedia.com.au. A poetry book will be awarded to each contributor.

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<h1>Poem: Vapor Trails</h1>

<p><p>This week’s Poet’s Corner features two poems from Erica Jolly’s commended new book Making a Stand, which juxtaposes art and science.</p>
</p>
																		<address><a href="https://inreview.com.au/contributors/compiled-by-john-miles/" class="author">Compiled by John Miles</a></address>
											
							<h2><a href="#vapour-trails" aria-hidden="true" class="aal_anchor" id="vapour-trails"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="aal_svg" height="16" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 16 16" width="16"><path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z"></path></svg></a><strong>Vapour Trails</strong></h2>
<h5><a href="#acknowledging-apollos-fire-a-day-on-earthin-nature-and-imagination-by-michael-sims" aria-hidden="true" class="aal_anchor" id="acknowledging-apollos-fire-a-day-on-earthin-nature-and-imagination-by-michael-sims"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="aal_svg" height="16" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 16 16" width="16"><path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z"></path></svg></a><em>Acknowledging “Apollo’s Fire: a day on earth<br />
</em><em>in nature and imagination” by Michael Sims.</em></h5>
<p>They appear in the southern sky<br />
climbing high beyond the cirrus clouds<br />
so cold, so far above the turning earth.</p>
<p>Called condensation trails<br />
beyond the Equator – streaks of white<br />
I follow them out of sight.</p>
<p>Artificial clouds<br />
products of our need<br />
to get there yesterday.</p>
<h2><a href="#thinking-about-the-goldilocks-planet" aria-hidden="true" class="aal_anchor" id="thinking-about-the-goldilocks-planet"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="aal_svg" height="16" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 16 16" width="16"><path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z"></path></svg></a><strong>Thinking about the ‘Goldilocks’ planet</strong></h2>
<p>Scientists have said<br />
our blue planet is<br />
‘Just right’ for us.</p>
<p>But Goldilocks<br />
came, ate, slept<br />
broke chairs.</p>
<p>Today, we<br />
might call it<br />
home invasion.</p>
<p>And she left<br />
careless of destruction<br />
and distress.</p>
<p>Will she be<br />
on the ‘ship’ that<br />
leaves Earth behind?</p>
<p><em>Erica Jolly graduated from Adelaide University with honours in history and gained her Masters in English Literature from Flinders University. She taught and held curriculum positions in secondary schools for 40 years, has been elected to the Flinders University Governing Council and Academic Senate, helped establish and combine various faculties and schools there, and has been an official university donor and supported a student bursary for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. She has authored five books: two on South Australian social history, three of her poetry. Her poems here today are from her latest book of poetry, <strong>Making a Stand</strong>, <a href="http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/2015/08/11/erica-jollys-making-a-stand/">reviewed in InDaily in August</a>.</em></p>
<h5><a href="#readers-original-and-unpublished-poems-of-up-to-40-lines-can-be-emailed-with-postal-address-to-poetscornersolsticemedia-com-au-a-poetry-book-will-be-awarded-to-each-contributor" aria-hidden="true" class="aal_anchor" id="readers-original-and-unpublished-poems-of-up-to-40-lines-can-be-emailed-with-postal-address-to-poetscornersolsticemedia-com-au-a-poetry-book-will-be-awarded-to-each-contributor"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="aal_svg" height="16" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 16 16" width="16"><path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z"></path></svg></a>Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to poetscorner@solsticemedia.com.au. A poetry book will be awarded to each contributor.</h5>
<h5></h5>
							<p>This article is republished from <a href="https://inreview.com.au" target=_blank  rel="canonical">InReview</a> under a Creative Commons licence. Read the <a href="https://inreview.com.au/inreview/books-and-poetry/2015/12/23/poem-vapor-trails/" target=_blank  rel="canonical">original article</a>.</p>
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<p><a href="https://inreview.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">InReview</a> is an open access, non-profit arts and culture journalism project. Readers can <a href="https://artists.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2E9q0000008PVN/inreview-sa-20222023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">support our work with a donation</a>. Subscribe to InReview’s free weekly newsletter <a href="https://inreview.com.au/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p>
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Vapour Trails

Acknowledging “Apollo’s Fire: a day on earth in nature and imagination” by Michael Sims.

Thinking about the ‘Goldilocks’ planet

Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to poetscorner@solsticemedia.com.au. A poetry book will be awarded to each contributor.

Acknowledging “Apollo’s Fire: a day on earth
in nature and imagination” by Michael Sims.