Valerie Loveland

AEROGEL

A cut of smoke—blue bricks itself—square ghost on the wane, it charms
with parlor tricks. Feats of Strength: supports
X times its body weight. Shows off, fireproof, professional
insulator, anti-heat-conductor. Even keeps matchbooks
from their incendiary tendencies—no more influence
from his fiery Bunsen brother.

It hopes to distract from its appearance: caught
in a permanent state of vanishing, but never fades away entirely.

Gel-formed, “low density solid state.” Does this mean
an invisible object that is visible? A boxy cloud
you can hold? A lab assistant that collects and stores space dust?

A firm sponge soaked translucent with sky, it blues
by scattering light. Handled, Airglass
(no one learns this nickname in time) proves,
even the ethereal can smash to smithereens.

Valerie Loveland lives in Austin Texas and is currently playing the video game Dreamfall.