Cynthia van Golen

Solar system within by Cynthia van Golen


This process

of self-knowing

self-healing

self-discovery

Feels like the universe inside

shattering my being

fragmenting

the opposite of a black hole

BIG BANG

Sun pulling me out

Make friends

Be social

Create art, create music

Moon dragging me in

Softly crying

Whispers

Head under pillows, comfort

The planets

All off orbit

Retrograde what??

Crashing

Learn more says Mercury

Love more says Venus

Run more says Mars

Explore more says Jupiter

Work harder says Saturn

A cacophony

Splitting m/e apart

I can’t

I can’t

I’ve lost myself


The author, Dr. Cynthia van Golen, is a neuroscientist, educator, and advisor. She has written poetry on and off her entire life, but has recently been writing more frequently after beginning a research project investigating the use of poetry therapy in neurological disorders. She also is an amateur photographer and frequently uses her photographs as writing prompts for her poems.