Saturday

Pondering the Speed of Light

for Tony

Driving 
   at the speed of light
If I turn on headlights 
   what will be?
Does time stand still?
Will anyone be able to see
Does light 
   follow light 
      follow light...
In an infinite question 
   of nil?

Einstein wonders, 
   "Can I become
synchronized worldly 
   at once--
To everyone 
   now a glow of light
the relative 
   ray of right?"

Becoming light 
   through logic astute
a brilliant beacon beckoning

The speed of light 
   becomes pursuit
of purpose for life reckoning


~~~~~
NOTE:
I had a lovely philosophical conversation with my friend Tony a couple weeks ago, who has been "pondering the speed of light" for a long time now.  As a result, I too have been pondering this conversation and some of its implications ever since.  I do not pretend to understand the scientific aspects of the speed of light or even of Einstein's theory, but I was struck with the concept of traveling at the speed of light and the possibility of "becoming light" as a result.  It boggles the mind really.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Anyone who ponders the incredible mysteries of the speed of light for any length of time is a philosopher, not just a poet. But aren't the best poets always philosophers? You are becoming light yourself...

But be careful about who you choose as friends. This Tony guy sounds like a schmuck. :)

Nean said...

I'll be sure to tell Tony your opinion of him. :)

And thanks for the compliment. It take a poet and a philosopher to recognize one in others.

Jason Kichline said...

I love how you've taken an exercise in physics and philosophy and have taken it to a poetic level. In fact, the notion of us becoming light, or really the notion of how light can be constituted from particles and enerhy is amazing. Not just from a scientific, philosophic and poetic viewpoint, but theologic.

For instance, take a look the first chapter of John or 1 John and then ponder the meaning of light, or in the transfiguration in Matthew 17. Perhaps through light the spiritual is transferred to the physical realms and back again? We see this in the star of Bethlehem. Just another aspect to ponder, that perhaps we are just a cross section of light ourselves. Light that doesn't move, or moves together. Atoms and particles arranged to stay in order and not fly apart. The unseemly illusion of permanence derived from simple illuminance.