Retrodictions, canto 6, quatrain 10

To seek what secrets colors hold
to sniff the skies of worlds afar
to scan by sight a mountain's gold
to taste the rainbow of a star.

 

Commentary by Brother Quark:

Sorcerous derangement of the senses.

 

Commentary by N. Hellerstein:

This is about spectroscopy.

 

Retrodictions, canto 6, quatrain 9

A glassy gourd of milky hue
to give illumination;
within my mind it's shining true
denoting inspiration.

 

Commentary by Brother Quark:

The potion-imbibing sorcerer praises magic mushrooms.
 

Commentary by N. Hellerstein:

This is about light bulbs.

 

Retrodictions, canto 6, quatrain 8

A song may substitute for light;
no whale nor bat need ever fear
the deepest depth or darkest night;
by chirping they shall see by ear.

 

Commentary by Brother Quark:

The sorcerer identifies with these creatures of darkness, navigating by the sound of their own voices rather than by God’s Light.

 

Commentary by N. Hellerstein:

This is about sonar.

 

Retrodictions, canto 6, quatrain 7

By metal bowls we scan the sky;
for chirps from distant worlds we quest
revealing wisdom that is high;
but would our own Earth pass that test?

 

Commentary by Brother Quark:

A prayer for wisdom from the foolish.
 

Commentary by N. Hellerstein:

This is about the search of extraterrestrial intelligence.

 

Retrodictions, canto 6, quatrain 6

Beneath the red beneath the red
a light too low for human eye
to time how fast your carriage sped
and carry music from the sky.
 

Commentary by Brother Quark:

Infernal insight. But is he crediting the music of the spheres to demons?
 

Commentary by N. Hellerstein:

This is about radio.

Retrodictions, canto 6, quatrain 5

Beyond the blue beyond the blue
a light too high for eye to see
to screen the teeth inside of you
and skry the bones inside of me.
 

Commentary by Brother Quark:

Angelic vision; which is also memento mori.

Commentary by N. Hellerstein:

This is about X-rays.

Retrodictions, canto 6, quatrain 4

A hollow tube with glassy eye
upon a stand of iron furled
shall ten times, hundreds, magnify
the tiny world within the world.

Commentary by Brother Quark:

This is some sort of meditation amulet.
 

Commentary by N. Hellerstein:

This is about microscopes.

Retrodictions, canto 6, quatrain 3

On mountain far from city light
a clockwork tube with mirrored eye
shall scan the silence of the night
and seek the worlds beyond the sky.

Commentary by Brother Quark:
This is some sort of pagan temple.

Commentary by N. Hellerstein:

This is about telescopes.

Retrodictions, canto 6, quatrain 2

A massless mote of speedy vim;
a bolt without a path exact;
of even count of inner spin;
a lightning-lodestone mote of act.

 

Commentary by Brother Quark:
Perhaps this is about the soul; but see previous.

 

Commentary by N. Hellerstein:
This is about light, as a quantum of action.

 

Retrodictions, canto 6, quatrain 1

A refugee from stellar flame;
a carrier of information;
at constant speed in every frame;
a lightning-lodestone undulation.

 

Commentary by Brother Quark:
Perhaps this is about the soul; but see next.

 

Commentary by N. Hellerstein:
This is about light, as an electromagnetic wave.

Retrodictions, canto 5, quatrain 10

O lilting Lady, sing the blues!
This shining disk shall bear
Your voice, so new, so clear, so true
Though you, alas, aren’t there.

 

Commentary by Brother Quark:
They consort with the spirits of the dead.

 

Commentary by N. Hellerstein:
This is about music recording.

 

 

 

Retrodictions, canto 5, quatrain 9

It’s a spinning spark, it’s an atom’s part,
It’s a lightning-bolt and a riddle;
It smote like a mote at the end and the start
Yet it plays like a wave, in the middle.

 

Commentary by Brother Quark:
Perhaps this is about the soul.

 

Commentary by N. Hellerstein:
This is about quantum wavicles.

Retrodictions, canto 5, quatrain 8

It’s made to labor on and on;
not born nor bred, but built to plan;
what name for this automaton?
A slave? A pet? Not yet a man?

 

Commentary by Brother Quark:
Perhaps this is about golems.

 

Commentary by N. Hellerstein:
This is about robots.

Retrodictions, canto 5, quatrain 7

These motes, all ninety-four, may be
in all but stellar fire found;
the building-blocks of all you see,
by crazy wavy logic bound.

 

Commentary by Brother Quark:
This is a knotty one. Perhaps it’s about angels?

 

Commentary by N. Hellerstein:
This is about atoms.

 

Retrodictions, canto 5, quatrain 6

A window into distant lands,
an entertainer and reporter;
Alas! controlled by wealthy hands;
a base deceiver and distorter.

 

Commentary by Brother Quark:
The scrying-glass is run by unclean spirits.

 

Commentary by N. Hellerstein:
This is about television.

 

Retrodictions, canto 5, quatrain 5

A lettered thread, a double screw;
a message from your parent’s day;
the only stuff that’s truly you;
by G, by T, by C, by A.
 

Commentary by Brother Quark:

Another reference to the pagan caduseus. The meaning is obscure; perhaps it means that God is our true substance?

 

Commentary by N. Hellerstein:
This is about DNA.

 

Retrodictions, canto 5, quatrain 4

This brilliant burning ruby ray
so swift and sharp, can soon
inform me just how much to pay
or the distance to the Moon.
 

 

Commentary by Brother Quark:

The sorcerer consorts with devils.

 

Commentary by N. Hellerstein:
This is about lasers.

 

Retrodictions, canto 5, quatrain 3

They’re a multitude of specks of goo
and each teeny beast is weak;
But they’re everywhere, and they’re mighty too;
They’re the Lords of Earth, the meek.

 

Commentary by Brother Quark:
The magician left-handedly praises the poor.

 

Commentary by N. Hellerstein:
This is about bacteria.

Retrodictions, canto 5, quatrain 2

Engrave a glyph on a chip of sand,
Add lightning to make it run,
So midnight mechanics may then command
the logic of nothing and one.
 

Commentary by Brother Quark:

Clearly a magic spell.

 

Commentary by N. Hellerstein:
This is about computer chips.

 

Retrodictions, canto 5, quatrain 1

Despite my sight, I can’t believe
these leaves of leaves of leaves of leaves.
My casual glance beside the path
is ambushed by poetic math.

 

Commentary by Brother Quark:

The mystic is made speechless by weeds.

 
Commentary by N. Hellerstein:
This is about fractal geometry in nature.