On Saturn's Moon

If viewed in black and white, it could be Earth,
with river deltas, shores and sculpted rock.
But sands in endless dunes round half its girth,
are ever- frozen grains of ice which flock,
enslaved by Saturn's tidal-driven winds.
Revealed in filtered amber twilight haze,
the similarity to Earth rescinds.

Volcanic slushy ice spreads tar-film glaze,
to coat ice landscapes; ranges, plains and dust.
And methane clouds replenish methane lakes,
reflecting skies which glow like vapoured rust.
Up high, a prebiotic cocktail shakes,
as sunlight strafes an elemental mix
and smog drifts down past rainbows infrared.

Our dying sun in future will transfix
the Earth with bloodshot eye; prognosis- dead.
But creeping warmth is outer planet's boon.
Ammonia and water oceans form.
Exotic life erupts on Saturn's moon,
an eon-length methanogenic storm.
And maybe refugees from Earth or Mars,
will call the orange world of Titan ‘ours'.

poem by Diane Hine
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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