Bubble Nebula by Nico Bryan
I found the meaning of life
in your dirty socks I let you
throw up in my toilet and
gave you a fresh pair afterwards
Life is about so much and
also about nothing It’s like
looking at your Nasa birthday
photograph and feeling
insignificant The time space
continuum spins without you
but there is always a glass of
whiskey waiting in the end I
will fill it I will fill the void with
Nothing is as it seems Just
particles You’re a scientist
so you know this You listen
to my existential platitudes
Find reason in it all but I still
play you the blues and you
still manage to find the rhythm
I just don’t know why we are
even here This earth is big and
empty My couch is so big and
not empty We sit on it Snort
cocaine and philosophize our
existence This is a big topic
Warrants big thinking Tonight
is the exception to that rule
The stars burn and die Individual
atoms interact or whatever But
we’re still here aren’t we? The
night still burns with possibility
“I wrote this poem after a long night up with a dear friend of mine who is a scientist. We often get into these late night philosophical and existential conversations about science, humanity, and such. They’re always really thought-provoking and filled with empathy and kindness. I always leave them feeling very “human”. I read this poem the next day and sort of just let it become a documentation of my thoughts about the night prior instead of interrogating it further into a cohesive poem.”
Nico Bryan (she/her) is a queer poet from sun-shiny Florida currently residing in NYC. Her poems have been featured in Sad Girls Club, BurrowPress Review, Black Fox Literary Magazine, etc. etc. etc. You can follow her on instagram at: @nicobryo