1287: Astronomers Locate a New Planet by Matthew Olzmann

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily Episode: 1287: Astronomers Locate a New Planet by Matthew Olzmann
Release Date: February 4, 2025
Host: Maggie Smith
Produced by: American Public Media in partnership with The Poetry Foundation

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Introduction

In Episode 1287 of The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily, host Maggie Smith sets the stage for a contemplative exploration of poetry's ability to bridge disparate themes—specifically, the intersection of scientific discovery and social issues. Smith begins by sharing her personal connection to poetry and her limitations with subjects like calculus and chemistry, establishing a relatable foundation for listeners.

Notable Quote:

"I have an imagination and an ear for language, but subjects that are more black and white feel just out of my grasp."
— Maggie Smith [00:30]

Presentation of the Poem

The centerpiece of this episode is Matthew Olzmann's poem, Astronomers Locate a New Planet. Smith introduces the poem's intricate weaving of astrophysical phenomena with the poignant issue of marriage rights, highlighting the poet's skill in melding seemingly unrelated topics through the lens of creativity and empathy.

Notable Quote (Introduction of the Poem):

"Today’s poem does something I admire a great deal, which is to bring two unexpected things—a scientific discovery of a new planet and the issue of marriage rights—together using the imagination."
— Maggie Smith [01:15]

Analysis and Key Themes

Smith delves into the poem's vivid imagery and metaphoric depth, unpacking how Olzmann uses the discovery of a diamond-like planet as a metaphor for the complexities of human relationships and societal constraints. The poem juxtaposes the eternal and expansive nature of the cosmos with the finite and often restrictive nature of human laws and prejudices.

Imagery of the New Planet: The poem opens with a descriptive epigraph from a Reuters story, painting a picture of a crystalline, diamond-covered world. This setting serves as a backdrop for exploring themes of luxury, longevity, and hardship.

Notable Quote (Planet Description):

"Scientists calculate the carbon must be crystalline, so a large part of this strange world will effectively be diamond. Like the universe’s largest engagement ring, it twirls and sparkles its way through infinity."
— Matthew Olzmann, read by Maggie Smith [02:00]

Smith interprets the diamond planet as a symbol of beauty and endurance, contrasting it with the inhabitants’ struggles, such as famine and the impossibility of traditional agriculture. This duality mirrors the societal struggle for marriage equality—on one hand, the beauty and potential of love; on the other, the harsh realities of societal limitations.

Symbolism of Marriage Rights: The poem uses the act of giving a locket filled with dirt during marriages as a rare and treasured gesture, symbolizing the preciousness of love in a world where sustenance is scarce. This act underscores the resilience required to maintain love amidst adversity, paralleling the fight for marriage rights in restrictive societies.

Notable Quote (Marriage Symbolism):

"When two people get married, one gives the other a locket filled with dirt. That's the rare thing, the treasured thing."
— Matthew Olzmann, read by Maggie Smith [05:30]

Reflection and Insights

Smith reflects on the poem’s ability to humanize scientific discovery, making abstract concepts relatable by embedding them within the tangible struggles of everyday life. She draws connections between the poem’s celestial imagery and the enduring human spirit, emphasizing poetry's role in fostering empathy and understanding across diverse experiences.

Notable Quote (Personal Reflection):

"Sometimes I wish I could move to another planet. Sometimes I wonder what worlds are out there. But even as the room goes blacker than the gaps between galaxies, I can hear the echoes."
— Maggie Smith [10:45]

This reflection highlights the poem's invitation to contemplate both the vastness of the universe and the intimacy of human connections, encouraging listeners to find solace and inspiration in poetry's capacity to illuminate our shared journey.

Conclusion

In closing, Maggie Smith reiterates the significance of integrating scientific and social themes through poetry. She encourages listeners to engage with the poem’s layered meanings and to appreciate the unique perspective that poets bring to universal issues. The episode underscores The Slowdown's mission to provide moments of calm, inspiration, and thoughtful reflection through the medium of poetry.

Closing Remarks:

"Our hosts and production team select poems that move them, and we hope they move you, too."
— Maggie Smith [15:30]

Listeners are invited to explore more episodes, subscribe to daily poems, and engage with The Slowdown community through various platforms.

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Additional Information:

• Listen Online: slowdownshow.org
• Social Media: Instagram at @SlowdownShow
• Support: Produced in partnership with The Poetry Foundation and supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.

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This episode of The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily masterfully intertwines the exploration of a newly discovered celestial body with the timeless struggle for equality in human relationships, showcasing poetry's unparalleled ability to connect disparate facets of our existence.

Transcript

[Maggie Smith]

Foreign I'm Maggie Smith, and this is the Slowdown. If you ask my kids, they'll tell you my powers are limited. I can help with essays for English class and with brainstorming leads for the school paper, and probably with history homework, but calculus and chemistry? Not so much. My children knew that once they reached fourth grade math, I was no longer going to be a helpful resource. Google it is often my response, along with Email your teacher and go to office hours. I have an imagination and an ear for language, but subjects that are more black and white feel just out of my grasp. Bringing these subjects into poems, though, now that's something I'm interested in. Poems, after all, have their own logic. Poems reveal the mind behind them. Today's poem does something I admire a great deal, which is to bring two unexpected things a scientific discovery of a new planet and the issue of marriage rights. Here the poet builds a bridge between them, using that spectacular, versatile tool I mentioned before, the imagination Astronomers locate a new planet. By Matthew Olsman this poem begins with an epigraph. This sentence from a Reuters story dated August 24, 2011 because it is so dense, scientists calculate the carbon must be crystalline, so a large part of this strange world will effectively be diamond. Like the universe's largest engagement ring, it twirls and sparkles its way through infinity. The citizens of the new world know about luxury. They can live for a thousand years. Their hearts are little clocks with silver pendulums pulsing inside, eyes like onyx, teeth like pearl. But it's not always easy. They know hunger. They starve. A field made of diamond is impossible to plow. Shovels crumble and fold like paper animals. So frequent is famine that when two people get married, one gives the other a locket filled with dirt. That's the rare thing, the treasured thing. There it takes decades to save for, but the ground beneath them glows, and people find a way. On Earth, when my wife is sleeping, I like to look out at the sky. I like to watch TV shows about supernovas and contemplate things that are endless, like the heavens and maybe love. I can drink coffee and eat apples whenever I want. Things grow everywhere, and so much is possible. But on the news tonight, a debate about who can love each other forever and who cannot. There was a time when it would have been illegal for my wife to be my wife, her skin, my household of privilege. Sometimes I wish I could move to another planet. Sometimes I wonder what worlds are out there. I turn off the TV because the news rarely makes the right decision on its own. But even as the room goes blacker than the gaps between galaxies, I can hear the echoes. Who is allowed to hold the ones they wish to hold? Who can reach into the night? Who can press his or her own ear against another's chest and listen to a heartbeat telling stories in the dark? The Slowdown is a production of American Public Media in partnership with the Poetry Foundation. This project is also supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. On the [e-mail] to get a poem delivered to you daily, go to slowdownshow.org and sign up for our newsletter and find us on Instagram at Slowdown. Show.