Macula lutea

C.W. Thompson

Flickering 
at millisecond speed,

life can be seen 
in brief bursts of light.

It is a bright, white
light that blinds, where

only muted colours— 
projected from a thin 

film of memory  
—give it meaning.

A story is revealed. 

It flashes 
before your eyes.

You cannot rewind 
or pause,

just enjoy the frames
before they lapse.

The Science

The Anatomy: The macula lutea is a yellowish retinal spot directly behind the lens of the eye. It has a high colour-photoreceptor density and is required for detailed colour vision.

The Physiology: Vision gives you the impression that you are passively receiving moving pictures—it is as if light from the room projects inward, where a homuncular version of yourself sits passively in front of a screen watching life elapse in technicolor. 

However, while it is true that light is projected onto the retina through the lens of your eye (where various photoreceptors absorb specific wavelengths of light) what actually passes beyond this point is not light. Rather, what enters into this darkness are just electrical impulses that connect to neural networks within the visual cortex of the occipital lobe, creating a conscious representation of the visual field—along with the vibrant qualia of colour perception. This happens as deeper cortical areas interpret these patterns to construct a semantic interpretation of what is seen, while shading the moment with the more muted "colour" of emotional memory to create personal meaning.

The Poet

C.W. Thompson (he/him/his) is a Professor of Biology at the State University of New York/Westchester Community College in the United States, where he is the current Chair of the Liberal Arts, Math, and Science program. Outside of teaching, he enjoys exploring the intersection of science and art. He lives and writes in Valhalla, NY.

Next poem: Me, Brain, and Heart in Love’s Palette by Shravana Ganga