Blackbody
1
It is a house. A small house.
A small dark house perched on the edge of town
near the river.
The river is constant.
A man enters the house, closes the door behind him.
Nothing emerges. We witness this daily.
No one emerges.
The house is dark.
A man enters.
The river is constant.
2
A pebble pierces the water’s surface.
I awaken to imperfection.
A blackbody allows all incident radiation to pass into it,
absorbing all, reflecting none.
The tensile strength of water decreases as temperature rises.
Hakuin said if you doubt fully, you will awaken fully.
Before sunrise I unshutter the window.
Angle of reflection, angle of incidence.
My doubts reinforced with coffee, I pause.
Perfect blackbodies do not exist in nature.
Opaque box with a hole.
3
There is a house. A small house.
A small dark house perched on the edge of town
near the river.
Nothing emerges.
A man enters.
The river is constant.
“Blackbody” was first published on Aubade Rising in May, 2014, and appeared on the blog in February 2016.
O at the Edges 
Awesome!
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Thanks very much.
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This is brilliant Bob. You should write alternative text for physics text books. I’ve been meaning to email you- October came and went without receiving my highly anticipated chapbook…so I’m back reading the freebies 😊
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Wouldn’t that be something? Physics in verse. 🙂 Finishing Line delayed publication – I anticipate (and hope for) a mid-month release.
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I think you already have a lot of material for a physics in verse and cooking/eating/beer drinking in verse. Thanks for the update, glad it isn’t a case of lost in the mail this end.
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That’s true! Well, it’s not lost yet! I’m supposed to receive my copies directly from the printer, which should indicate that buyers’ copies will be on the way shortly.
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Great! Looking forward to it!
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Intriguing words.
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Thank you, Anita.
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Oooh!!!
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Oooh is better than Blechhh! Right? 🙂
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Oooh is the highest compliment!
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I thought it was better than “meh.” 🙂
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I’m not feeling well, so I had to be succinct.
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Understood! And I hope you feel better soon.
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Thanks!
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Wow!!
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Thanks, Maureen.
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Intriguing
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Ah, physics!
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You have written a Hitchcock screenplay in a poem. Not sure that was your intent, but it’s what I see. The mind works in mysterious ways.
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I wanted to incorporate elements of the blackbody in physics, and thought a little mystery was appropriate.
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Physics and Poetry. Poetry and Physics.
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They seem to go hand in hand rather well, don’t you think, Sudhanshu?
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Certainly, Bob. 🙂
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Like this poem a lot. Love “If you doubt fully, you will awaken fully.” I will read more Hakuin.
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Thanks, Sabra. Hakuin is one to savor.
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Bravo!!! This is brilliant. I read one of Norman Waddell’s translations of Hakuin a few years ago. Very fascinating thinker.
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Thanks, Craig. Hakuin is definitely worth reading.
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