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RADIO POETRY ANALYSIS

ANALYSIS OF THE POEM "M"

The Messier object is personified as a poet who desperately tries to reveal his identity through literary clues.

The opening line hints to its classification- a nebula, not a globular cluster. The "tendrilled shard" suggests knots and filaments running through the cloud.

The metrical shouts, "shouts in measured yard," suggest something rhythmic. The quatrain (4 lines) that follows has internal rhyme (as well as the first two lines of both stanzas) to emphasize the harmony and melody made by the emissions of this M-object, presented with many sensory metaphors. For example, colors, sounds, and smells are used interchangeably to impress the depth and the richness of the emissions. The intent is to show that much of the electromagnetic spectrum is represented.

The "dancing fireflies" that are "magnetic drawn" are the electrons (high energy) in the ionized gas captured by the magnetic field. These provide major clues since the breadth of the emissions and the presence of possibly a relatively strong magnetic field suggest an exploded massive star (magnetic field lines are frozen in the plasma- see Alven).

This object indeed "enchants the heart." This is not just a poetic metaphor. It has a strong inference to the "stimulation of the mind" since "heart" often means "mind." This is often seen in ancient literature (e.g., see the Old Testament Scriptures with the aid of Hebrew lexicons). Consistent with this, "puts sparkles in the eyes" is more than delight of a beautiful object, but satisfaction that often follows when knowledge is revealed. It provides understanding when studied. The language of "sparkles" like a star makes the link all the more powerful.

In the last half of the poem, the complex literary structure is maintained. Some information is rephrased for emphasis, but much more detail is given. One should have already ruled-out reflection nebulae like the Pleiades, so the "blue veil" with "crimson" shards seems to proudly proclaim a supernova remnant.

The quatrain following confirms this suspicion. A "single stellar jewel" is all that is left. It cannot be a white dwarf, a dim burned-out stellar core of ablated red giants. It must therefore be a neutron star. In fact, it is a pulsar with its "scintill'ed" shine. Not interstellar scintillation, but the directed beam that seems to flicker as the neutron star rapidly rotates. This beamed light travels through the gravitationally deformed space/time created by the once massive star and now its remnant neutron star. The massive star, a red supergiant, was ten solar masses before it exploded. It was a "noble king" among stars.

The exact identity of this nebula is ascertained by its position in Taurus. It is very near Zeta Tauri, the bright star in the bull's horn.

Additionally, during the summer solstice, it can be seen in heliacal rising.

The Messier object is the Crab Nebula, M1, and a result of a supernova explosion in 1054 AD. To radio astronomers, it is known as "Taurus A."

"M"

How mysterious O' nebulous tendrilled shard (12)
Delirious bard, you who shout in measured yard (12)
Celestial chimes that echo colored rings (10)
As floral pines in scented breeze do swing (10)
Auroral rhymes are plucked on spectral strings (10)
The choral lines in vented glees do bring (10)
These dancing fireflies by magnet drawn (10)
Which swarm the cosmic skies (6)
Enchants the heart until the dawn (8)
Puts sparkles in the eyes. (6)

How beautiful this blue veil-ed and speckled cloud (12)
Laudable shroud, its twisted furrows, crimson plowed (12)
With lonely single stellar jewel adorned (10)
Is mingled with the oxen's pointed horn (10)
And scintill'ed shine amidst the gases torn (10)
Through wrinkled space this remnant light sojourns (10)
A broken heart of once a noble king (10)
Throbs still, though torn apart (6)
Begins its summer song to sing (8)
In solstice morning light (6)

(To help with the metrical analysis, the number of syllables in each line of the poem is shown in parentheses)

Images from Starry Night Backyard v.3

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