Poems about space explore the vastness and mystery of the cosmos, capturing the awe and wonder of the universe. These verses often depict celestial bodies like stars, planets, and galaxies.
Poets use memorable language to convey the sense of exploration and curiosity that arises from contemplating the wonders of space. These poems may also delve into existential themes, pondering humanity’s place in the cosmos and the interconnectedness of all life in the universe.
Through their celestial imagery, poems about space invite readers to contemplate the infinite possibilities beyond our world.
‘Theories of Time and Space’ by Natasha Trethewey navigates a journey of displacement and memory, urging readers to embrace change.
You can get there from here, though
there’s no going home.
Everywhere you go will be somewhere
you’ve never been. Try this:
‘Heliocentric’ by Keith S. Wilson is a singsongy poem about an astronaut in space missing someone on Earth whom he loves and desires.
I’m striving to be a better astronaut,
but consider where I’m coming from,
the exosphere,
a desk where the bluest air
‘Years’ by Sylvia Plath wrestles with the wearisome nature of eternity while yearning for the rapture of motion.
They enter as animals from the outer
Space of holly where spikes
Are not thoughts I turn on, like a Yogi,
But greenness, darkness so pure
‘I saw no Way – The Heavens were stitched’ by Emily Dickinson depicts heaven and the afterlife. The poet thoughtfully explores how she feels about the breadth of the universe.
I saw no Way—The Heavens were stitched—
I felt the Columns close—
The Earth reversed her Hemispheres— I
touched the Universe—
‘Solar’ by Philip Larkin is an unlikely Larkin poem that depicts the sun. The poet uses lyrical language to describe the sun through a series of metaphors and similes.
Suspended lion face
Spilling at the centre
Of an unfurnished sky
In ‘The Night Dances’, Plath reflects on the fleeting human experience and the inevitability of death and emptiness.
A smile fell in the grass.
Irretrievable!
And how will your night dances
Lose themselves. In mathematics?