JAMES GRABILL

THE SIZE OF A PERSON ON EARTH

At least on one clear night each year, 

suns of the Southern Hemisphere 

should be visible in the North, so the eyes 

of Western supremacy could see where we are, 

along the edge of a vast saucering galaxy 

we’re infinitesimal parts of. If this were arranged, 

supremacy in the North would have the chance 

to look overhead into the thick body of suns 

and matter of our galaxy swept by cosmic forces 

around the core. They’d be able to see a wide 

spiral cross-section, a cosmic Kundalini spine, 

the compass needle used by late night travelers 

such as African dung beetles (Scarabaeus satyrus) 

proven to rely on it in the dark. If the Southern sky 

were over the North, Western arrogance could see 

Alpha Centauri, the Carina Nebula, and Southern 

Cross flaring brightly enough for eyes on this planet 

to realize life probably exists on countless planets 

and moons, perhaps even on asteroids or comets, 

that the way matter assembles into cells, the cells

collaborating establish intelligence, for as it is 

on Earth so it must be elsewhere. We evolved 

the capacity to prepare for more than we’ve seen. 

The volume on this needs to be loud enough,

given the 7.6 to 9 billion of us that our actions 

have put at risk, where consciousness continues 

to evolve and the late night sky ought to be 

enough to humble anyone, colossal or small.

Image and words courtesy of © 2020 James Grabill