“Inner Workings” © Dr. Regina Valluzzi

Poem

’Tis a bawdy planet that strikes
with such good humor, sweeping
through the land like skirts on a dance floor,
interrupting old Marty as he rolls
to the rec room to watch re-runs
of “I Love Lucy” with a cough,
a fever, and a thousand whimpers.
Lovely Marty. Only a bacchanal
on Mt. Olympus could explain
the racing joy of the ruby studded
crowns; a sight for heartless, immortal eyes.

Alec Solomita’s stories and poems have appeared in many publications, including The Adirondack Review, The Southwest Review, The Galway Review, Rat’s Ass Review, The Blue Nib, and Oddball. He was shortlisted by the Bridport Prize and Southword Journal. His poetry chapbook, Do Not Forsake Me, was published in 2017. He lives in Massachusetts. He has not been nominated for a Pushcart Prize but keeps hoping.

Art can illuminate even the most elusive and difficult to comprehend ideas. Visual rules and tightly codified visual metaphors help scientists communicate complex ideas mostly amongst themselves, but they can also become barriers to new ideas and insights. Dr. Regina Valluzzi’s images are abstracted and diverged from the typical rules and symbols of scientific illustration and visualization; they provide an accessible window into the world of science for both scientists and non-scientists.