Space: Flight

I hate this first bit.

Always have, always will

Never quite enjoyed this thrill

A clench of fists, my teeth grit

The countdown begins

I do a check - I've got my things



The safety announcement

Please lift up your cabin trays

Check how to exit on the displays

Departure is now imminent

I strap in real tight, fumbling

I can hear the engines rumbling

This trip is quite short

Due to last a mere two days

Which seems a long way aways

As my mind is on just one thought

I must stay conscious, I must

The engines start their thrust

I feel as if I'm dying

This is a slow but powerful course

I try to withstand the G-Force

And then we are flying

I have overcome my fear

My reward for consciousness is clear

All around me, space

The wonders of the galaxy come into view

In utmost clarity, vast and true

Yet mine is the only wondered face

Some glance briefly, the universe quickly seen

Others look not at all, this trip is routine

I am always sad when I realise

That humanity can so quickly be bored

With that which our discoveries grant accord

But then I see another set of glimmering eyes

The small girl next to me, staring out into forever

I squeeze her hand and we stare, together.

I've recently been flying a fair bit. I flew for the first time in 13 years last summer. I've flown twice again since then. And each time, I'm amazed to find myself up above the clouds. Full of wonder by all I see. It saddens me to realise I'm normally the only one. This happened with trains, it happened with planes and, it made me sad to realise, if we ever achieve space flight, it'll probably happen with that too. That which people nowadays would love nothing more in their hearts to achieve may one day become routine. As flying is to us. But that doesn't mean that there wont be a few who realise that some experiences are more than just a novelty. Hopefully.