I asked my students to write a poem about their experience watching the eclipse. I decided to write one too. Enjoy.
Eclipse poem
By JD Spero
The cookout at the college had cornhole and burgers,
rap music that drowned out birdsong and the chatter of squirrels,
safe glasses for solar viewing in Wolfpack green.
6 out of 22 showed for my 2pm class. I sent them to the party.
My department chair said, “You can’t fight nature.”
“Every night, there’s a moon.
Every morning, there’s sun.
It’s all a miracle.”
We’re out of milk
but who goes to the grocery store
in the middle of an eclipse?
At home, inside, my #2 ate a peanut butter honey sandwich.
Now he’s bored staring at the slow progression.
“How much longer?”
“Not for another 20 years.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Today’s podcast interviewed NASA’s Mr. Eclipse
Corona and diamond and totality.
My glasses pop off as I say the words.
Now my vision has a floating orb.
My #3 comes home like a rocket
with eclipse-themed snacks gifted
from Jack’s parents who
gave him a ride.
Sun-Maid raisins
Cosmic Brownies
Cheddar Cheese Sun Chips
It’s a viewing party now.
#3 twerks to his own rap music.
I tell him, “I’m going to write a poem about another moon.”
The breeze turns cold
The light warms to gold
#3 takes off his glasses and peeks. “Ow! Ow!”
#2 is impatient, “This is, like, eclipse blue-balls.”
Now they’re throwing raisins at each other.
A deep partial, they say.
The golden crescent sliver works counter clockwise
into a grin.
They give up when it’s still smiling
as the air warms
as nature springs back to life
and go inside.
I sigh and head to the store. We’re out of milk, after all.
jdspero 