Battle of the Bulge

(Earth-Moon gravity) 

 

Like many love relationships 

the Earth and Moon are falling out. 

Despite their great attractiveness 

there’s friction they don’t talk about. 

 

When first they met, they twirled and danced. 

Their gravitation’s fondness showed. 

But by degrees, as time has passed 

rotations of their dance have slowed. 

 

The Moon no longer pirouettes 

within her orbit round the Earth. 

Instead one side is always set 

to face the world (and watch his girth).

 

Their gravity distorts their crusts 

and makes them bulge at closest side. 

Earth’s oceans rise as though to thrust 

a beckoned hand to Moon’s fine pride. 

 

For she creates the ebbs and flows 

of all the seas that make our tides. 

But honestly, that friction slows 

her down and makes her really tired!

 

Four centimetres every year 

she moves away from Earth’s embrace. 

Our Moon is drifting off, I fear, 

and nothing else could take her place.

 

from The Science Rhymes Book – second edition (Jabiru Publishing 2018)