Jupiter

Russell Jones is the inheritor of Edwin Morgan’s abiding interest in the sweet spot where science fiction and poetry meet. His latest pamphlet Dark Matters (Tapsalteerie, £5) comprises poems that see the cosmic in the everyday. The fifth planet from the sun but the king in terms of size, Jupiter is the subject of the poem below. Here, the awe the universe inspires in the poet is matched by the wonder he feels in love. Jones will launch his pamphlet at the Scottish Poetry Library on 9 May at 7pm, a free event.

Tongue-worn gobstopper of the galaxy; we think we see you among the city lights but you’re just another rocket hurtling by. It leaves and we lie, the grass brushing our necks as we breathe in space. Our fingers lock, we look out, trace the lines of vapour through the night sky and wonder what other worlds there might be.

Not everything is lost in a failed flight. We reminisce through photographs of a solar eclipse, see the sun in each other’s eyes, spot words in the stars. We stretch our arms out, make telescopes in our fists and for a moment, in disbelief, we see you. You can find a copy of Dark Matters by Russell Jones at the Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Edinburgh EH8 8DT. For poetry enquiries, e-mail reception@spl.org.uk or visit www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk