Poetry About Chemical Elements

Boxes arrange the invisible families. Iron waits near cobalt and nickel. Carbon darkens the pencil in my hand. Calcium steadies the bone beneath it. The same elements burn inside distant stars. Matter keeps introducing us to one another.

Return after the first glance. Iron waits near cobalt and nickel. The scene has kept more than appearance. Calcium steadies the bone beneath it. Attention makes the ordinary answer back. Matter keeps introducing us to one another.

Boxes arrange the invisible families. Time moves, but the image does not leave. Carbon darkens the pencil in my hand. It returns us to matter, atomic structure, patterns, laboratories, stars, bodies, and the elemental kinship of ordinary things. The same elements burn inside distant stars. The day continues with a more attentive heart.