Spectral Lines: Poems about Scientists

by Leah Angstman (Editor), Kathy Ackerman, Tani Arness

At the intersection of science and poetry, strange things happen. There exists such a bizarre human experience and shared understanding, that we can’t help but admire and celebrate it. It’s transcendent—the crossover of discovery and beauty. The physical solid realism and the ethereal intangible ideas. The inexplicable, the long-desired solutions, the struggle that comes in between. Exploring this intersection with 69 poems by 62 poets, this anthology is nothing if not transcendent in its own right. Each poem is written about an individual scientist, the fundamentals and atmosphere of each scientist—something humanistic that breathes life into his being, into her work, into their experiment. From microbiologist parents to role-model mentors to LGBT kinship with ostracized queerness to the women who’ve been written out of discoveries to the underdogs overlooked for Nobels, the pieces are searching and full of light, passionate and full of awe.

Find out more at tinyurl.com/speclines.

Genres: Poetry

126 pages, Paperback

First published February 26, 2019

About the author

Leah Angstman is a researcher, transplanted Michigander living in Boulder, and executive editor of Alternating Current Press and The Coil magazine. She is the author of OUT FRONT THE FOLLOWING SEA (Regal House, 2022), SHOOT THE HORSES FIRST (Kernpunkt Press, 2023), and FALCON IN THE DIVE (Regal House, 2024), and her writing can be found in Publishers Weekly, Los Angeles Review of Books, The Nashville Review, and elsewhere. You can find her at leahangstman.com and on social media as @leahangstman.

Reviews

[VT Dorchester · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive a free download of this book during SmolFair 2021.

Not knowing what to expect, I was able to freely enjoy this collection of poems about scientists, written by more than 60 poets and curated and edited by Leah Angstman. The author's experience levels ranges from 'debutante' through 'award winning' and 'Pushcart nominated' and writing professor. Most, but not all, are American. Each author was permitted 50 words in addition to their poetry to explain their choice of scientist-topic.

Over sixty poems there is a lot to enjoy, and if you think that it won't take much time to read 126 pages of mostly short poems, (most are no more than a page) you might find yourself surprised and taking more time than you expected, to give each poem time.

Michael H Levin's 'Trinity' is excellently chilling. There are several contributions about Marie Curie from Kathy Ackerman, Ilan Mochari writes a longer poetic tale from which I learned that Santa Anna spent time in New York City, Sarah Mooney finds worlds of possibility while scrubbing a 'Bathtub', Wilda Morris takes us to Egypt with Gertude Caton Thompson, Charles Kersey manages to write not only a poem about scientists, but also one that rhymes, it's 'Elemental'. Catharina Coenen's poem, along with the contributions of Tani Arness, Carrie Purcell Kahler, Elosham Vog stood out for me, as did Neil Rhind's ability to use 'axolotl' in poetry. The first half of Carol Barrett's poem, 'Milk', brings the urgency of discovery disgracefully discounted across to us through decades and Leah Bishop's poem 'Pharmaceutical Chemistry' brings a somewhat anonymously personal and fitting end to the collection.

While a few of these poems aren't quite as spectacular as others, and there is a bit of repetition of 'the usual suspects' of modern pop science heroes (Alan Turing shows up more than once, as well as Madame Curie) there are also scientists here that I've never had the pleasure of learning about before. This is a poetry collection that I recommend, particularly if you are able to get a copy during one of Alternating Current's sales or promotion events. I am grateful that I was able to get a copy during SmolFair. Thanks!

[Megan Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

The poems editor Leah Angstman so exquisitely collects in this anthology prove that not just roses and lovers and heartbreak are suitable subjects for poetry but “the miracle of X-rays,” the law of conversation, microbiologists and almost-Nobel-prize-winners.

“We especially need imagination in science. It is not all mathematics, nor all logic, but is somewhere between beauty and poetry.” - Maria Mitchell

[Leah Angstman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am the editor of this anthology, so of course I'm biased, but the poems in this collection are just exquisite. Some of the best work I've ever read in all my years of editing, and the combination of science and poeticism is simply stunning.

[Scott Holstad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normally not really my type of poetry, but in this case, damn original topic/theme! Makes up for any personal dislikes of the type of verse. Fun to read and as I've spent years in both poetry and science, especially cool for me. Recommended.