Photonics

Rachel Rayner

Divining the eye’s reaction
to the glow of a dying match,
the glinting edge of a tambourine, 
a rogue droplet skipping stones 
to join its kind in moonlight. 
Together, they carry force— 
a particular wave of energy. 

A tiny thing, two parts to a whole,
both waving in Sine language
to make a measured point.

Dancing between wave and sand,
they see beyond their origins;
pinpoint burst to travel straight, 
connecting harmonic impulse 
and building historic frequencies.

Together we see the flicker and flash,
the movement of two parts,
the forging of sensation.

A chemical interplay forms 
a million photons — the spark that lights 
leaping moon-bright water,
the small space around the wick
in a moody basement cafe.
Two out of a million is all that needs to reach us.
Two out of a million to move us.

The Science

Photonics is the science of light, including all the ways in which we can generate and manipulate the small particles of light called photons — ‘photo’ meaning light in Greek. A photon is illustrated as two equal sine waves (representing a smooth and regular motion) sitting at 90 degrees to each other. This is the ‘two parts to a whole’: one wave is an electric field and the other a magnetic field. It is these points of light that allow us to see and feel all the beauty in the universe, and which consequently connect us. 

The Poet

Rachel is a science communicator who has taken her love of science and language around the world, particularly to Australia, Vietnam, USA and South Africa. She holds a Bachelor of Liberal Studies (Physics and Art History & Theory) and a Graduate Diploma in Science Communication. She connects with audiences through various media – whether writing, educational activities, or live shows. Rachel explores poetry as a method of science communication, having presented on science poetry at the South African National Arts Festival and the Australian Science Communicators Conference. She recently co-authored a paper on the subject for Axon: Creative Explorations.

Next poem: Sea of Seeds by Alba V Suárez García