Geomagnetic Reversal

Suzanna Fitzpatrick

shifting under your feet –
the Earth a dynamo, molten core
generating electric currents
as fickle magnetism wanders,
spurning geographic poles
over eons, polarity flipping
north to south

south to north
over eons, polarity flipping,
spurning geographic poles
as fickle magnetism wanders,
generating electric currents:
the Earth a dynamo, molten core
– shifting under your feet

The Science

I wrote this poem after coming across an article about geomagnetic reversal: the fact that the earth's polarity can shift entirely, though so far it hasn't done so since the advent of humanity. The idea that something we take for granted as immutable is anything but fascinated me, and it's a sobering thought that we are overdue another reversal, which could cause havoc in our technology-dependent age. We rightly focus on how human activity changes our planet - pollution, climate change - but we are in denial about the fact that the earth has its own geological life apart from us. If it randomly regenerates its polarity, we will have no control over that whatsoever. It seemed to me that the best form for this poem is the specular, or mirror form, where the second stanza is a mirror image of the first. I wanted to use this form to convey reversal as a regenerative act, whilst creating a feeling of powerlessness and unease.

The Poet

Suzanna Fitzpatrick’s poetry has been widely published in magazines and anthologies, and aired on BBC Radio 4. She was Commended in the 2022 Hippocrates and 2021 Ginkgo Prizes, shortlisted for the 2022 Yeovil Literary and Wigtown Prizes and the 2019 Bridport Prize, longlisted for the 2018 National Poetry Competition, won second prize in the 2016 Cafe Writers and 2010 Buxton Competitions, and won the 2014 Hamish Canham Prize. Her debut pamphlet, Fledglings, is published by Red Squirrel Press. She lives in South London with her husband, son and daughter.

Next poem: Imbibition by Karen Cloete