Sir Isaac Newton's First Law of Metaphor

Am I an object at rest or in motion?

Newton proposes "an object 
at rest remains at rest" but by
remains, does he mean dead body 
or just unmoving item--of course 
that's metaphorical ground, no? But, 
to read, write, or comprehend that phrase 
one must be a flesh-coated polygon 
that breathes, heart beating mainly 
seventy-two times a minute--
an object, anything but at rest.


Debits and Credits

I'm ambivalent about space 
exploration the way I'm 
ambivalent about scrambled 

eggs. They both exist and 
always will, but they twist 
my lips  

downward. I admit to admiration:
moon landings, then a gap,
then landscapes from

Mars, looking like the Painted 
Desert only with a sky 
the color of Dijon

mustard. Explorers all, we
salute the singular, but what 
is the 

cost. When hurricanes spawn floods, 
tornadoes unzip homes, crush cars,
and forests

torch? Climate change reigns and
we bicker over warming oceans
and Mars Rover and scrambled

eggs. It's not really a zero 
sum game. Or is it? 

Gary Grossman, Professor Emeritus of Animal Ecology, University of Georgia, has poems, short fiction and essays in over 50 literary reviews. His poetry and short fiction have been nominated for a Pushcart, Best Small Fictions, and Best of the Net (nomination pending). Gary enjoys running, music, fishing, and gardening. His poetry books Lyrical Years (2023, Kelsay), What I Meant to Say Was… (2023, Impspired Press), and graphic memoir My Life in Fish—One Scientist’s Journey…(2023, Impspired) all are available from Amazon or the author. Visit his website.

Featured Image: “Tumba de Isaac Newton” by Javier Otero licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported.