Cynthiae Figuras Aemulatur Mater Amorum

The unaided eye
can’t see the crescent shape of
the crescent Venus.

The unaided eye
sees crescent Venus only
as a point of light.

But a telescope—
even an inexpensive
Wal-Mart telescope—

will reveal Venus
changing phase as the planet
moves around the sun.

And when we see it
we don’t have to resort to
silly Latin code

like Galileo
when we want to discuss it.
Here in the New Age

we don’t have to say
the Mother of Love copies
shapes of Cynthia.

Venus emulates
the shapes of the moon. It’s not
as poetic, but

the real poetry
is we can say it without
worrying about

burning at the stake.
I’ve seen the crescent Venus
through good telescopes.

I’ve talked about it.
Even though I do not weigh
the same as a duck

not too long ago
I’d have been burned as a witch.
Here in the New Age

in all the nonsense
there is more than meets the eye.
The unaided eye . . .