Supernova Loses Face Poem by Harley White

The Chinese noted an astral event
in three eighty-six C.E. up above
of a seeming ‘guest star' that came and went,
whose identified residue thereof

for more than thirty years has been tied with
a remnant called G eleven point two
dash zero point three and was allied with
that happening then, though evidence new

from Chandra shows it could not have been seen
by ancient astronomers in the past
along their known line of sight in between;
thus its role in the annals was miscast.

Due to dust and gas clouds in dense supply,
its status from claim to fame has been bumped,
too faint to be spotted with naked eye
back then; so modern archivers are stumped

as to what might have been that blast bygone
resulting in this residual ball.
They're checking other corpses to try on
for the chronicled supernova sprawl.

Still, this image descriptively displayed
surrounded by vast stelliferous space
can dazzle us dreamily far away
as we muse on its hued celestial face.

A grand sidereal scene on its own
in assemblage Sagittarius found,
there's a star left behind from gases blown
midst the colorful regions which surround.

The explosion was certainly frightful,
though of old not spied in the least degree.
Nonetheless, research proves quite insightful
into the properties of its debris.

Whatever those gazers in China viewed
as that stellar drama in history
may remain with bewilderment imbued,
as an object shrouded in mystery…

We mortals were born in Goldilocks place
with a luminous moon and beaming sun.
Can our species hold on to fortune's grace,
or will rampant folly find us undone?

Many the paths our tomorrows could take
depending on causal conditions made.
If only earthlings would somehow awake
from misguided ways into which they've strayed!

‘How noble a piece of work is a man! '
to loosely render, through Hamlet, the Bard.
But of all other beasts, man alone can,
in the judgement of Dostoevsky hard,

be even ‘artistically cruel'.
Which outlook accords with our real stance?
Should human nature be deemed as dual?
Or is there a deeper essence perchance?

Those who seek to sleuth out the truth within
may perceive a world of priceless treasure,
an inner domain, remote from the din,
beyond the dimensions mind can measure—

confluent cyclic existence entire,
realm of tranquility, freedom from fear,
immanent ever, enlightenment's fire,
timeless, eternal, an infinite sphere…

May sentient beings their efforts engage
in pursuit of a happiness supreme,
to enter new age on history's page
and arouse themselves from deluded dream!