Pluto

PLUTO The name conjures up a lot Dopey Disney dog extra to the plot Forgotten one-time planet of the night Not a Jupiter giant, gassy bright, I’m just a small rocky ball Nowhere near the sun at all Cold enough to freeze the nose Off Santa’s Rudolph as he glows No regular orbit, just a path Criss crossing others in a swath So big around the sun You’ll all be dead and gone Before you see half my fly-by. I can’t even be seen by Anyone lacking a Hubblescope But having only binoculars and hope; And now demoted No matter how long I’ve floated In space. There are new planetessimals Of sizes measured in decimals: It’s like suddenly finding my father Always had dozens of other sons, my brothers, And my family status is reduced By factors newly deduced I feel unwanted, unrespected, It’s not at all what I expected ................................................................................................................ NOTE A glance at your bedside astronomy almanac will show that Pluto is no longer counted as “the ninth planet”. A large number of similar lumps of rock are now known beyond Pluto.