About Time and Space

Posted On October 16, 2022

My daughter recently pointed me to an article by an MIT professor discussing the possibility of actually finding life on a different planet.  That article triggered a poem set forth below; I did forward the poem to Professor Lightman who, it turns out, is himself a published poet.  While I have not been favored with a reply as yet, I did enjoy playing with his concepts in poetic form; please take a look below.

The Accidental Life

Life is an accident of space and time. Even if life existed on every planet that could support it, living matter in the universe would amount to only a few grains of sand in the Gobi Desert. –MIT Professor Alan Lightman

Seems the scientists think there is not much life out there in our universe
and whatever there is amounts to a thimble-full of sand.
It is all about dark energy and other things that scientists identify and quantify.

We call that knowledge.

But wait—seems some believe there could be a universe of universes

that may have different fundamental rules

and different ideas about life.

By definition, you cannot communicate with a different universe.

Seems that midst all the confusion, that is, at least,

a universal truth.

 

Even at the ends of the universe, forward in forever

we will never know for sure

because we cannot know.

Scientists insisting on evidence will never know.

At MIT, it seems that drives scientists crazy.

But if there are other universes, where did they come from?

If random scientific adhesions of chemicals and atoms

cause different results and rules

and different lives, then what of religion?

Or are they many religions in many universes perhaps larger

and better informed than are we,

honoring gods beyond our comprehension

perhaps also with accuracy?

Here is how truth works:

You only know what you can see

so all of that which you cannot by definition ever see

can be ignored.

Measuring our life in relation to the universe is discussed

in parsecs and billions of years

but what happens when all the stars burn out

in our only universe and life becomes unknown?

No scientist, I have nonetheless

developed a working hypothesis to measure our relevant universe

and although I cannot devise a physical measure

I estimate with some confidence that the universe is all within eight inches.

This certainty should comfort scientists at MIT

and also allow us all a better night’s sleep,

content with our gods and our certainties.

assured there is no chance of error.

Each of us has about eight inches between our ears

in which resides the organ that sees the only universe that matters.

What you see is what you got!

Know what I mean?

All living things that you see now are alive;

all science is accurate or will be.

When we die our universe will remain

populated with those we left behind by whim or will.

When all stars burn out in billions of years?

I make bold to say that I cannot see it and,

If I could,

I am comfortable that I do not care.

My children, grandchildren, spouses, friends, enemies,

thieves, clergy, politicians, aestheticians, theoreticians–

all those folks and ‘ticisans” I can see

I will not see ever again.

I offer you my perfect solution

and wish Professor Lightman the very best;

or, at least,

have a lovely day.