by Iris Herriot

(After Larry Morey)

“Study sheds light on the white dwarf star, likely destroyer of our solar system …
When asteroids, moons and planets get close to white dwarfs, the latter’s huge gravity rips them into smaller
and smaller pieces, which continue to collide, eventually being ground into dust. While the researchers said Earth
would probably be swallowed by our host star, the sun, before it becomes a white dwarf, the rest of our solar system… ultimately may be shredded by the sun in a white star form.”
—The Guardian

Just whistle while you shred:
(Earn your dwarfish cred!)
Turn asteroids to dusty voids
And live things into dead;
So warble as you chew:
(Mash planets into goo!)
The Earth’s a guest now grown a pest—
That goes for Venus too.

And as you brightly croon,
Pretend you’re a cartoon
(The antiquated kind):
You’ll find
You’re crunching up the moon!

Dig wormholes, worms! In cosmic terms
It’s coming very soon.