Size / / /

Yes, Pluto is small.

Near Jupiter, he'd be one

of the myriad masses,

smaller than Titan, Triton, et. al.

Uneven, unbalanced, elliptical,

not even the farthest out,

when he hides within the seas.

But consider, if you will

keeping Pluto a planet.

For consider, if you will,

this: would you rather death

remain the farthest god,

outer edge of the norm,

be given titles undue, due

to his chill and final powers?

Or would you rather death

be one of many Kuiper bodies

slowly infiltrating our system,

a thousand thousand deaths

minute, uneven, unfair

drifting into the family,

until all our rounded,

sunlit orbits fill with tiny,

icy deaths intrusive that

flare and strike unwarranted?

Let's keep Pluto a planet,

shall we then?

For the sake of a single death.




Any rumors you've heard about Greg Beatty's time at Clarion West 2000 are probably true. Greg (email Greg) publishes everything from poetry about stars to reviews of books that don't exist. Greg Beatty lives in Bellingham, Washington, where he tries, unsuccessfully, to stay dry. Greg recently got married. You can read more by Greg in our Archives.
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