Star Poems by Karen Hanmer

"Star Poems consists of astronomical quotes by historical and contemporary philosophers, scientists, artists, and poets paired with 17th century images of astronomers and constellations. The cover quote by Lord Byron, 'Ye stars / which are the poetry / of heaven,' is divided in three, with each part placed at the corners of the triangle, inviting the viewer to begin at any of the three corners. The effect is that one may travel in any direction through the vastness of heaven and encounter the profoundness of eternity, as if meaning were embedded in the environs of space itself, to be reflected and mediated through human synthesis." - Max Yela, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
 
Quotations and images used: Cover quote, George Gordon, Lord Byron, 1788-1824; Milky Way photo courtesy of NASA-JPL; mythological constellation forms from Uranographicarum by Johannes Hevelius, 1687, courtesy of the US Naval Observatory; 1674 portrait of Ptolemy from University of Cambridge Starry Messenger website, other star gazer images from A Tutor to Astronomy and Geography by Joseph Moxon, 1674 and Seaman's Secrets by John Davis, 1657.