For Robin & Emilie Stammers
They say the universe is full of smells
In fact tests on astronaut's suits
Have indicated this much was true
It seems- they say- that there are faint
Traces of metallic smells you see?
Not the stink of leather and bourbon
Which emanates from my friend Robin
Or the sweaty funk that lingers
Where my obese neighbour goes
There are- to put it quite simply-
None of the rich earthy smells
That one associates with life or living
In the cold realms of outer space
There are just the smells
One would find in a science lab
In other words metals and the
Faint perfume of vaporous gasses
Seeping from stars and planets
In perpetual extra-terrestrial fartings
Out there- where there are
Strange cosmic happenings that
Would blow your mind-
The universe they say is positively stinking
Reeking to high heavens
You could say...
Though of course, we can really never know
For sure
And that is what bothers us-
Humans, in general, that is-
We don't like being reminded
Just how finite we are
When we are surrounded
By all that marvellous infinity
I wrote this poem after watching a program about conceptual art in which one artist had started a project after hearing that astronaut suits had traces of scent on them and they felt this had hinted at how space was full of smells.
I dedicated it to a guy who I like very much and who it is noted has the smell of bourbon and leather and his daughter Emilie who was a good friend from the early days of the internet and who was obsessed with space and was, in fact, one of those people who could be called and Unearthly Child.She is no longer with us, to our great loss. I dedicate this poem to them.
This poem will feature in the new collection of poems Little Paper Fishes which will be released early next year.
