| The Astronaut | |
| 361 | An astronaut goes for a walk |
| outside among the stars. | |
| His trusty craft beneath his feet | |
| has taken him quite far. | |
| 365 | The sailor of the stars steps up, |
| and gravity takes pull. | |
| What feels an inch becomes a yard; | |
| brief flight elates his sole. | |
| He climbs up to the viewing deck, | |
| 370 | slow motion takes a while, |
| and at his goal he looks around | |
| and cannot help but smile. | |
| For ever since he was quite young | |
| the moon was more than bright. | |
| 375 | It was a place to touch and feel, |
| to study in the night. | |
| He followed rules, excelled at math, | |
| his shape remained pristine. | |
| One afternoon then NASA called | |
| 380 | and offered him his dream. |
| And so he stands surrounded by | |
| quite frankly everything. | |
| He looks out left at Mars’ bright red, | |
| now right at Saturn’s rings. | |
| 385 | The wonders that the sailor’s seen |
| can barely be described. | |
| The brightness of a newborn star | |
| looks magical this high. | |
| The darkness of the universe | |
| 390 | still makes him hold his breath. |
| Abyss had never seemed so black | |
| until he trod its depths. | |
| And even in his special suit | |
| the cold pervades his veins, | |
| 395 | but ice can’t numb his boyish awe. |
| He feels so young again. | |
| There far below is planet Earth | |
| whose continents conceal | |
| a hundred hundred thousand men | |
| 400 | whose tiny lives are real. |
| His job is truly wondrous. | |
| It cannot be explained. | |
| Some things need be experienced | |
| to fully comprehend. | |
| 405 | The astronaut proceeds back now. |
| The airlock guards his path. | |
| He floats down to his office space | |
| and documents a graph. | |
| His toothpaste meal will have to do. | |
| 410 | It’s roast beef, peas, and bread. |
| Then after he enjoys a book | |
| he’ll float on up to bed. | |
| Before he sleeps, he always looks | |
| at photos of his wife | |
| 415 | and little girl, who’s just turned three: |
| his newborn star – so bright! | |
| And as he sails the universe | |
| above Earth’s bluish dome, | |
| the astronaut lies wondering: | |
| 420 | how far away is home? |
Ballad of Man 
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