A poem written after my Soyuz TMA-1 landing in 2003.
Oh Mother Earth, embrace me
with all of your weight.
I am pressed into your bosom
and like Atlas, I carry the World’s load.
I leave the comforts of an orbital womb
and am born a second time.
Rudely thrust into the world of weight,
my chest sinks from heavy load
my arms do not move at my command
and my head spins.
But there is work to do, we must keep our wits.
We want to survive this test to prove our
worthiness for life on Earth.
And finally, our just reward,
the sweet smell of freshly tilled earth
and of crushed spring grass.
The Sparrow’s song greets our ears.
Did we perish and land on Heaven’s door?
I spew bile and mucus into desert soil,
a reminder that I am still among the living.
Oh Mother Earth, I have returned
Embrace me!
Don’s blog also appears at airspacemag.com.
From Mother Earth to the Man Who Flies:
Yes, my son, I will welcome you home
From your journey among the stars and space
I’ll invite you to walk with me
Under gentle whispering treetops
And tell me of things I know not
As I remain tethered
Bound by forces I cannot break
Am I still the mystery
You deem me to be
When back among my rhythmic eloquence?
Do you feel your heart beat
Not with sadness of loss
But of a newfound longing for all things Home?
Come, let me quench your thirst
For water, clear and cold
Tis an abundant gift to my children
Precious though it may be~
I think it is one of my best attributes
Do you not agree?
Behold my horizon
See the sky through the eyes of one
Who knows clouds are dreams and whimsy
As the breeze caresses your skin
Calming the turmoil of biology within
I pray you appreciate my seasons
Some of colorful bounty, some of stark wonder
I nurture your friends, oh gardener son,
I work to give them everything they need
To grow, into something more than seed
And give life to others in a cycle of love~
Here, in my place in the cosmos
Sink into my softness
Tell me of the vastness and beauty
And whether I am still your favorite
After you’ve come from majestic darkness
For I will always welcome you home, dear man who flies
Wonderful, Don.
I like the line “I spew etc” it really gives a reality to earth return. Although initially unpleasant it does, paradoxically, give an image of rebirth. Interesting that one of the first words should be “weight”. So the Earth is simple things in the long run, like a “Sparrow`s song”
So beautiful.
The Silverton mural featuring you is my new Facebook cover. The whole town is so proud of you today.
Don, it is so romantic !