The bright spark of resurrection

American astronomer Rebecca Elson died of cancer in 1999 when she was 39. As well as her science, Elson wrote poetry, "never losing her keen awareness that we are matter capable of wonder" (Source). In fact, the one book of poems she left us is titled A Responsibility to Awe.

Listen as Patti Smith reads one of Elson's works and enjoy the aninimation:

The Universe in Verse | Part 4: Let There Always Be Light from Maria Popova on Vimeo.

The poem for your deliberation on the "beguiling beauty" of creation that overwhelms the scientist: 

LET THERE ALWAYS BE LIGHT (SEARCHING FOR DARK MATTER)

by Rebecca Elson

For this we go out dark nights, searching

For the dimmest stars,

For signs of unseen things:

 

To weigh us down.

To stop the universe

From rushing on and on

Into its own beyond

Till it exhausts itself and lies down cold,

Its last star going out.

 

Whatever they turn out to be,

Let there be swarms of them,

Enough for immortality,

Always a star where we can warm ourselves.

 

Let there be enough to bring it back

From its own edges,

To bring us all so close we ignite

The bright spark of resurrection.