Europa

[nozaki]

Europa

Jupiter System, present day

Europa’s surface is composed
     of mostly ice, with red
and brown secretions of sulphur-
     ic compounds causing streaks
that criss-cross over white. --the last phrase, starting from 'causing', is a bit wordy. something along the lines of 'that streak / criss-cross over white' might be more efficient.
     Beneath the ice, the tidal flex- tidal what? 
ing from its orbit heats the sol-
     id crust, thus forming jets
of liquid water, squirting out --i think ', squirting' might be better replaced by 'that squirt' - to break up the structure.
     to space. Therefore, it’s said
Europa’s oceans are a like-
     ly candidate for life. --i like the last sentence.

--i like the fact-like diction of this first stanza, although it runs a bit close to feeling like sentences that you've split up into lines. tightening up the diction, and adding a few choice descriptors, might give it a more poignant feeling.

Ashbourne, 2017

In bed, beneath the sun’s descend-
     ing light, we blink to life,
his fingers tracing lacera-
     tions on my leg, still red;
his eyes trace thoughts which only through
     unsaying can be said. --hmm, me likes this very much so far. 
His gaze and fingers gliding up,
     blood pulses through the streaks
of red. My right – his left – arm tens- --what streaks of red? lacerations? 
     es, and we watch the jets
of semen spewing forth. --the introduction of sex is a bit sudden, maybe allude to it more explicitly earlier? also, 'spewing' is cliche and can be done better. also x 2, i like that it isn't obvious who has had the orgasm. 
     I feel his arm relax, then flex. 

--i like the contrast of the first two stanzas. i felt that your second painted a much more vivid vignette. 

‘Oumuamua, 2018

An interstellar body of
     uncertain age deflect-
ed from its path, towards us, this year. --the fragment works. 
     Thus far, the search for life
or artificial origin
     has failed. The CalTech Jet
Propulsion Lab say light curve ob- --really oddly specific, but it fits in. 
     servations show its redd-
ish hue results from cosmic ray
     exposure. “Foreign streak-
ing objects may be much more comm-
     on than we thought,” they said.

Rosie Hackett Bridge, 2014

With sudden urgency, he pulled
     away from me and said
“I really like you, Graham”, breath- --"I really like you, Graham," breath-
     ing in the white reflect-
ion of the lamplight, blasted from
     beneath the bridge in streaks
of water-rippled LED. --'water-rippled' sounds awkward to me, especially coupled with 'streaks'. 
     The blankness of the life unlived
unfolded blankly as
     my blank face blinked. My red --interesting, if convoluted, juxtaposition. 
hand, scalded from the cold, felt for-
     eign to my arm, its bloodly jets.

Centauri Star System, 2069

In ‘sixty-nine, a robot con-
     voy will set sail (not jet)
towards Proxima Centauri b:
     an exoplanet said
to be the closest to our Sun,
     found orbiting a red
dwarf star, which dimly flickers, such
     that radiative flux
received is similar to Earth’s—
     although, the hope for life
is slim, because its sun flares out
     fantastic toxic streaks. --love, love this entire stanza, especially the way the sentences are structured, and the final denial of life. 

Ballyhupahaun, Co. Laois, early 1900s

An aged print of three West High-
     lands, brittle, worn, and streaked
with foxing, hid a portrait of
     Victoria, inkjet-
blackly staring through the frame,
     having lived her life
in landscape for a hundred years.
     An urban fox’s head --i admit urban fox is really weird, but it does make sense. 
stands out among the bins. In mount-
     ain fields, its ginger flecks
escape my sight, my failing eyes
     confusing green and red. --another interesting vignette, but lacking the same arrow-like focus of the last stanza in my opinion. also, green and red brings to mind christmas, but you may have considered that already. 

A boundary

My body holds together: streaked
     with cuts unknown, unsaid;
its fluids stream in hot, dark jets; --alright, the repetition of 'streak' and 'jet' is starting to get old. it would be better if the words were used in new capacities. 
     its tight-drawn borders flex,
as coupled bodies flex with life,
     its whites, its blues, and reds. --intentional allusion to the u.s.? huh.

very lovely and very interesting. i'm not going to comment heavily on the cutting apart of words, and the indent of every other line, as its effects are mostly lost on me except for perhaps its strange otherworldliness. i like the touch of the italic titles, and the way the stanzas are ordered.