Looking for Science Fiction Poem

[jahnbuck]

This is a hard one;
and I only recall the gist of the poem, and possibly a word or two in it.
I believe it was a female author.
The poem (I believe) was about a satellite orbiting earth - seeing earth from the perspective of the satellite.

I vaguely recall something about 'strands' or possibly flame, or fires, or a reference to Inverness -> as seen from on-high.

Thats all I can say - hope someone can help find this poem - I recall it being a very impressive one - lots of imagery, and feeling.

Poem was probably written in the 70's; possibly even the 60's.
Thanks.
jahnbuck

 

[jahnbuck]

Found IT! Woke up in the night and remember a line!
The poem is:
"Ballad of an Artificial Satellite" by Poul Anderson (not a women after all).

Ballade of an Artificial Satellite
One inland summer I walked through rye
A wind at my heels that smelled of grain
And harried white clouds through a whistling sky
Where the great sun stalked and shook his mane
And roared so brightly across the plain
It gleamed and shimmered like alien sands
Ten years old I saw down the lane
The thundrous light on wonderstrands.

In ages before the world ran dry
What might the mapless not contain?
Atlantis gleamed like a dream to die
Avalon lay under faerie reign
Cibola guarded a golden plain
Tir nan Og was fairlocked Fan's
Sober men saw through a gull's road wain
The thunderous lights on wonderstrands

Such clanging countries in cloud lands lie
But men grew weary and men grew sane
And they grew grown and so did I
And knew Tartessus was only Spain
No galleons call at Taprobane--
Ceylon in English--no queenly hand
Wears gold from Punt nor sees the Dane
The thunderous lights on wonderstrands.

Ahoy, Prince Andros, horizon's bane
They always wait, the elven lands
An evening sunset brings again
The thunderous lights on wonderstrands

 

[j d worthington]

Ah, thank you for sharing that.... I was cudgelling my brain and simply could not come up with anything. So I'm glad you found it and cleared it up.

And welcome to the Chronicles!

 

[jahnbuck]

Thanks for the welcome, j.d. I used to read lots of sci-fi as a kid in the 70's, but haven't read much sf in quite a while.
My very 1st sci-fi reads were "The Stars around us" Hoskins; "Childhoods End" Clark, "Silent Running", and a host of anthologies and other books I've long since forgotten. I'm proud to say that I purchased those books on their 1st release, and still have them around (somewhere).
Guess I'm at the age where on occassion I'll wonder "what was that story" and thats how I found your great forums.
Thanks again.

 

[jahnbuck]

another piece to the puzzle;

I was wondering why, in my misty, or mildewy memories, I thought that Poul Andersons poem was written by a women - now I realize - Poul, was married to Karen Anderson - who also wrote one of my favorite old Sci-Fi poems;
"Six Haiku" - and I'm pretty sure these poems were in one of my old anthologies - perhaps on the same page. She also has great imagery in her poem.
Imagery is, to me; the heart of great Science Fiction.

Six Haiku is another great sci-fi poem.

Six Haiku; Karen Anderson:
1
The white vapor trail
Scrawls slowly on the sky
Without any squeak.

2
Gilt and painted clouds
Float back through the shining air,
What, are these stars, too?

3
In the heavy world’s
Shadow, I watch the Sputnik
Coasting in sunlight.

4
Those crisp cucumbers
Not yet planted on Syrtis -
How I desire one!

5
In the fantastic
Seas of Venus, who would dare
To imagine gulls?

6
When Proxima sets
What constellations do they
Dream around our sun?

 

[Eris Black]

Wow, and I thought sci-fi poems would sound stilted. You know, long, tech-ish words, etc. These are nice, though. I'd be interested in finding more, any hints?

 

[j d worthington]

Look for D. M. Thomas, for one... he wrote several sf poems (or, rather, poems with sf themes)....