Poem – HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN (PART I) (By Ray Gallucci)
HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN (PART I)
A shame to imagine how moon is just
A memory distant we’ve almost lost.
Appears that we only pursued in jest
To travel in space — 50 years have passed.
Today’s generation cannot conceive
Of passionate fervor with which we strove
To land first on moon — such a matter grave
That three of our astronauts gave their lives.
Today we don’t venture beyond the earth
Except when our robots go probing forth.
Though surface of Mars has been mapped in depth,
Of landing by men we can’t see the worth.
“Indifference” the byword which now describes
The spirit with which we seek other globes.
“Stagnation” as science goes down the tubes,
While conjure we multiple alibis.
“It’s way too expensive, the risk’s too much
When problems on earth are beyond our reach.”
No distant horizon our fancy catch
When short-sighted goal is just growing rich.
How easily lost we our innocence
And with it our sense of the wonderment
That comes when we realize how ignorant
We were ere discovering unknown land.
Can readily blame it on Vietnam,
Or Watergate, Monica, or else some
Profound disillusionment we assume
Excuses complacency like a balm.
Our astronauts now only Shuttle board
To travel no farther than earth’s backyard.
Our own planet’s gravity, like a cord
Umbilical, chains us to mother’s skirt.
Imagine we finally get the call
Inviting us destiny to fulfill
By meeting with aliens — how, pray tell,
Inform them we’re held by our planet’s pull?
For peak technological just look back
To past generation who chose to knock
On door to the future that we reject
When foolishly seek other locks to pick.
Author Bio:
I am a Professional Engineer who has been writing poetry since 1990. I am an incorrigible rhymer, tending toward the skeptical/cynical regarding daily life. I have been fortunate to have been published in poetry magazines and on-line journals such as NUTHOUSE, MOTHER EARTH INTERNATIONAL, FEELINGS/POETS’ PAPER, MÖBIUS (when Jean Hull Herman published), PABLO LENNIS, MUSE OF FIRE, SO YOUNG!, THE AARDVARK ADVENTURER, POETIC LICENSE, THUMBPRINTS, UNLIKELY STORIES, BIBLIOPHILOS, FULLOSIA PRESS, NOMAD’S CHOIR, HIDDEN OAK, PABLO LENNIS, POETSESPRESSO, SOUL FOUNTAIN, WRITER’S JOURNAL, ATLANTIC PACIFIC PRESS, DERONDA REVIEW, LYRIC, THE STORYTELLER, WRITE ON! and DANA LITERARY SOCIETY.