Special Blog Post:
Upon the Third Anniversary of the Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster
Below is the republication of the tribute written and published by Dark Wraith on that melancholy day.
Elegy for the Homeward-Bound
The river flows, and time flows, too:
mariners sail'd, th' pilots flew.
Stood she at dock, 'waiting his ship;
stories he'd tell of a hero's trip.
Night came, then day followed after:
Joy will be ours!—filled with laughter.
Day came again, no ship in sight;
where could he be?—anew, the night.
Awful the thought: No! Please God, no.
Th' ship's just late, this must be so.
Treasures, stories, he'll have for all!
Trav'ler so great, and ship so tall.
Many suns pass'd from East to West;
came not that ship; no hope for rest.
O! curse the sea and smite the sky:
claim'd they a prize for God on high.
Damn'd be our will, traveling far,
to distant land, to shimm'ring star.
Lonely Winter of life near end,
burden finish'd, duty to tend.
Abandon'd dock, the ancient port:
looked she again, a glance fair short.
"Goodbye, my love," soft whisper'd she.
"Safe be thy way on Heaven's sea."
Dark Wraith
1 February 2003
©2003
Published 2/01/2006 11:28:00 AM
<< 8 Comments Total
Thank you for remembering, Dark Wraith. I'm truly touched.
You transported me back to that sad day. God, it seems like such a long time ago till I read the words and then, puff, I was right back there that day staring at the TV is disbelief.
Thank you for honoring their sacrifice with such beautiful sentiments.
Good evening, Dark Wraith.
What a thoughtful tribute! The poetry is truly enjoyable, even if it was about a horrible fateful day.
No offense but I've never developed an ear toward poetry, but I can appreciate the effort. Funny how events like this disappear down the old memory hole that much quicker without efforts such as yours.
Good evening, Mr. Goat.
Yes, I do know that poetry is not everyone's cup of tea. I myself have absolutely no patience for the modern drivel that passes as poetry just because the author calls it that.
I should probably stop right there before I begin to rant.
The Dark Wraith is trying to stick to a strict rant ration each day.
And speaking of ranting, I should note the new book being promoted in the Advertisements section of the sidebar.
Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee that you'll be arrested if you openly display it in the Rayburn Building in Washington, although I'd be interested in hearing from anybody who takes the chance.
The Dark Wraith will duly report the event... provided the detainee is ever again a free person.
Good Morning Dark Wraith,
It's been the lot of sailor's wives down thru the ages to wait and hope.
So many have hoped in vain.
Makes me wonder how those wanderlust genes have not been eradicated from the gene pool. Could that be why we're still not colonising space, already?!? (aside from NASA's reluctance to have "civilians" up there...)
Good morning, SB Gypsy.
Although I would be sad at such an ending, I would prefer to die far from home.
Neither the sea nor sky would have time to mourn me, and I will certainly have no patience for being in the presence of those who would.
The Dark Wraith hopes that makes sense.
A picture of the fishermen's memorial at the oceanside in Gloucester, MA.
And just a short walk away from it, the one for the families left behind. (I thought the back view more evocative for this thread.)
Those who go down to the sea in ships....
- oddjob (who in an afternoon's drive can see any manner of 19th Century houses complete with widow's walks)