heat flow

a dome

proportioned on a sphere

built of advanced concrete

in layers and sections lighter and lighter as it rises

across 150 roman feet of diameter

142 english feet of width

43.3 meters of height

across almost 2000 years of time

as they looked upon their schemes and plans of the pantheon

hear their human wonderment, their questions, their voices still –

how shall it span? how shall we support this? how to carry that load?

hear the loud voices that speak first –

there shall be one perfect column in the center

with one perfect corinthian capitol at the top

to honor a singular perfection

hear the questions soon arriving –

but we are not here designing a tent for one

and why a corinthian capitol?

what’s the matter with a doric, or an ionic one?

and why just one column, just in the center?

hear the solution arising and speaking up –

why not, where the span is furthest and therefore heaviest

an opening

for all the gods above

dome and oculus

authoritarian

do you not understand?

there’s no column of you at the center

to carry the load

but an opening

to the sky above

insects and birds flying

in

sunlight and shadows arcing

in

the wind, the rain, the snow, the fog

and cold and hot and shiver and sweat

every dawn, every day, every twilight, every night

in

smell, taste, touch, sights, sounds, thoughts

changes growth movement flow

in

another voice, another life, another prayer, another day

another fate

in

there’s more than one in the set

[        ]and[        ]

there’s more than one set

authoritarian

there’s no self in the center

it’s a free spanning dome

open to the sky above

to the higher levels than just

[you]

high and tripping on power all day

no wonder you feel like you’re being replaced