Monday, February 6, 2017

SPACE

Beyond the dark of night and above the clouds
where brave men rode their man-made steeds
across the Milky Way to leave their footprints
on our shining harvest moon, lies a vast
nothingness that has captured man's curiosity
for eons.

Ancient hieroglyphs in distant caves speak of
space beings and flying objects, and a strange
menagerie called Nazca lines is scripted in
the sands of some distant land, discernible
only from high above, their secret purpose
ever eluding us.

A nation watched in horror as the space
ship Challenger soared into the great beyond
and shattered into flaming bits, carrying seven
brave astronauts destined never to walk the
earth again, reminding us that space is master
and we the slaves.

Scientists and astronomers study galaxies
beyond our own, and much is made of a planned
trip to planet Mars.  Space holds secrets yet to
be discovered, but there are those who wisely
suggest we learn to care for this planet we call
home before we consider conquering space
and populating others.
***
Submitted to Poets United Midweek Motif, February, 2017

13 comments:

  1. Your closing stanza sums up what I was feeling while reading your poem. Let's leave space mysterious till we get a grip on caring for this planet. Smiles. I really enjoyed this poem and its contemplation of the heavens.

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  2. I concur! We can enjoy the mystery from afar while we learn to be good stewards of our own planet. I suspect some are thinking just the opposite--we must find a place to live because our planet is dying. But I feel her heart beat and know there's still time. Thank you for this poem.

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  3. Yes. I agree let's take care of home before focusing on places so far away. Yet, the idea of space exploration fascinates me. I hope we are able to do both - take care of home and space.

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  4. I agree that there seems to be better things to spend our resources on that going to Mars.

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  5. I'm loving this assignment all of the different poems it's bringing forth! We do need to do a lot at home but space brings us medicines and many products that help us at home. Wonderful thoughts!

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  6. I agree with that last stanza, completely. I know there are important things to learn in space, that impact us here...but learning to care for this earth is so important.

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  7. Exactly! I could not agree more. We DO need to care for this planet first!! (And we aren't doing a very good job of it, are we?)

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  8. oh wow! you took me for a sky trip. so much lovely imagery hidden between these words!

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  9. space is master
    and we the slaves... pondering over the wise words in your poem.

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  10. The cosmos is a beautiful mystery. I think we should stay away. We destroy everything we touch.

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  11. a beautiful and cautionary poem...yes home first, always...though it's sad that humans have succeeded in accumulating space debris over the years...sigh...

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  12. A lot to ponder on in your poem, Bev. Human beings, being the curious explorers we are, are always searching for new frontiers, new challenges, new places to explore. Sometimes of course this happens at the expense of neglecting our own backyard, and therein starts trouble...

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