Resisting the urge to pull away

It casts no shadow deep in outer space:
A lone comet drifts and finds its place.
Seldomly two comets burnt on different oil,
Lock close into orbit together unstable.
 
And they’re spinning, spinning...
Looking for easier paths 'cause defeat ain't worth thinking about:
Remember tender souls in strong armour can't lose!
 
Whizzing, whizzing, whizzing around, 
Because stupid grins are held prisoner behind the beauty of sealed lips
And intentions are hidden ‘til BANG! Two objects collide deep in spacetime– 
where the most improbable of events happen–
Neither deigns to crash but they both do, a rapid change in fortune...
 
With an explosion to match the wonder of rare and incidental beauty
Trillions of stardust fragments for a moment pretend to be different:
Shined by cosmic waves, energy in radiation, lighting lanterns to new paths,
Ones never before seen by us, let alone even conjured in our dreams.

by Callum James

This poem came from a place of not knowing where we are going, recognising that free will has a bearing on our fate but ultimately to say we are all at the mercy of fortune. Impossibly huge and complex forces are always at play so when something blows up it might not be a bad thing after all: just look for the new paths, for possibilities you either didn't see before or only just now realise are plausible. With this in mind, how could you ever be afraid?I think it's common nowadays for people to resist and suppress their feelings, especially when they are at their strongest. What this poem says is to let go, try to embrace your nature and think less about your control over the circumstances. There are times where you need to let yourself be guided by your emotions and environment rather than logical thinking.

Callum is studying for his MA in Journalism at Goldsmiths and enjoys writing poetry and prose in his spare time, usually for personal pleasure and seldom with the aim of being published. He takes a keen interest in local issues such as activism against gentrification in south-east London and supports this in a journalistic capacity. You can find him on Instagram @callum.james.t