Hail, Columbia and the Challenger 3 Meteors of Tears
Hail Columbia And the Challenger 3....Meteors Of Tears.
It came in that split second
that pulsates between a heart beat
and the silence of no more.
~
Just past the ninth hour,
on the first day, of the second month,
in that turquoise bowl that hangs over,
the anvil shape of Texas.
~
An explosive roar was hammered out
across its wide girth,
as masses gazed up in horror to see,
the remnants of a beloved spaceship
D i s a s s e m b l i n g ~~~~
/
in a slipstream of smoke and debris,
that marked it's all too hasty exit
from the here and now.
~
It took with it in the fiery trail,
of its final approach
a most precious cargo,
the flesh of seven souls.
~
The arms of the Saguaro cacti far below,
seemed to be reaching upward
to catch, and cradle the memories
of the seven now returned,
by a free fall of 39 miles,
and countless tears newly shed.
~
Scattered across three states
this once glorious craft,
was embedded in the earth
where all of its toxic debris,
now takes its place beside
a Challenger long past.
~
Seventeen have crossed the thresh hold
of the space that waits beyond our planet,
where they all were privy to
it's lovely hues.
~
Three left us as they waited
in their capsule to be launched.
~
(Grissom was killed along with
fellow astronauts Ed White and
Roger Chaffee during a training
exercise and pre-launch test
for the Apollo 1 mission)
~
Seven fell beneath the stratosphere
and tumbled into the sea.
~
Seven more returned in spirit only,
joined far too swiftly
with our homeland.
~
God welcomed them each one
into a new and different heavenly place,
with offers of eternal peace,
to those we've lost in space.
~
in just a blink they entered heaven's
most mysterious of realms,
I'm sure that the explorer in each of them
wondered in awe of God's ancient world,
that some deny and more suspect,
and many are sure sits just beyond the stars.
~
Back home we gathered up the pieces,
and said prayers for the three
who were left on the space station
to grieve for friends they've lost.
~
When we attempt to go beyond the limits
known to man, often we encounter tragedies
that we don't understand.
~
But I know that they died pursuing
what they loved, and cherished most
and none could hold them from it,
or prevent all those who will follow.
~
Discovery demands great sacrifice to reap rewards
but by the levels that our brave achieve
we all can learn and grow.
~
So we truly should feel great sorrow
when missions fail, but give thanks
that some among us dared to reach beyond
our humble dreams and leave a legacy
for youthful souls to follow.
~
Perhaps by some similar heroics
our young can change what was impossible
and bring about new hopes,
like ending war,
eliminating hunger and hate
curing disease all those places,
that we have not yet explored fully.
~
Let us simply reach past old walls built by attitudes
that man's fondest of dreams can never be.
~
Let us guide our children on pathways
that lead to much higher expectations,
then we'll smile as we observe a
world of peaceful happy nations.
~
Let us all strive to reach out, and honor them
by changing just one bias.
In that split second that pulsates between
a heartbeat and the silence of no more.
~
Pause to make some changes,
that all mankind can explore.
~
Shine on in the dust of the stars
most precious crew of seven,
and know that you left behind a trail,
of more then just smoke and grief,
you showed us that men and women,
can go beyond the mortal bindings of "What if?"
and head straight into the farthest reaches
of possibilities flawlessly achieved.
~
"Godspeed to you all!"
~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~♥
A Holiday song Tribute To The Crew Of the Challenger 3.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~♥
To seven brave souls
who will not be here this year,
to share with families and friends
the seasons joyous cheer,
forgetting not, the dreams you sought,
we send above these words of love,
with hopes that you can hear.....
~
Happy Holidays to you wherever you are....
with warmest wishes reaching out beyond the farthest stars,
We pray these words will touch your hearts
the way you once touched ours,
And happy Holidays to you wherever you are.....
~
In a sudden flash
the Challenger became a star,
it's meteors like tears fell to the sea,
but though you're gone, you will live on,
as inspirations in our memory.
~
Happy Holidays to you wherever you are,
with our warmest wishes reaching out
beyond the farthest star,
we know that you have bridged that gap,
and reached the highest power,
so Happy Holiays to you ...wherever you are....
~
Now each new year that passes by
in which you cannot share,
must challenge us to reach new heights,
to new world's hidden dares.
then someday soon, on a distant moon,
our astronauts will walk it's face,
and feel your presence there.....
~
Happy Holidays to you wherever your are......
~
© 2009 Matthew Frederick Blowers III
Comments
PALLAVI bharati on May 18, 2020:
Deep emotions... So well written....
kevin on May 17, 2020:
nice
i liked this
Matthew Frederick Blowers III (author) from United States on October 10, 2014:
Thanks for your comment Pallavi, it is apprecaited very much
Pallavi Bharati from kolkata,india on October 10, 2014:
A good hub to honour their efforts..