A Poetical Survey of the Inner Solar System
The Poetry show is hosted by John Case and Janet Harrison. This episode was recorded Feb 17, 2026, at the RedCaboose studio.
Janet has found provocative illustrations of the planetary view from Mercury, Venus, Mars, the Asteroids, Jupiter and Saturn. Kenneth Rexroth, Wyn Cooper, Derek Walcott, Liz Garton, and more.
What is the planetary view really looking at?
It is difficult to not pass on a gem from Kenneth Rexroth.
On What Planet
By Kenneth Rexroth
Uniformly over the whole countryside
The warm air flows imperceptibly seaward;
The autumn haze drifts in deep bands
Over the pale water;
White egrets stand in the blue marshes;
Tamalpais, Diablo, St. Helena
Float in the air.
Climbing on the cliffs of Hunter’s Hill
We look out over fifty miles of sinuous
Interpenetration of mountains and sea.
Leading up a twisted chimney,
Just as my eyes rise to the level
Of a small cave, two white owls
Fly out, silent, close to my face.
They hover, confused in the sunlight,
And disappear into the recesses of the cliff.
All day I have been watching a new climber,
A young girl with ash blonde hair
And gentle confident eyes.
She climbs slowly, precisely,
With unwasted grace.
While I am coiling the ropes,
Watching the spectacular sunset,
She turns to me and says, quietly,
“It must be very beautiful, the sunset,
On Saturn, with the rings and all the moons.”
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