This World Space Week we present a special space and art project. In cooperation with British space poet Athos Athanasiou (follow @athosfolk on Twitter) we will publish a new space poem every day!
World Space Week Day 1
We started off by looking up
at night towards that pinpricked dome,
and wondered what those pinpricks were
that spun and sparkled on our home.
And those of us who stayed up late,
long after daily toil was done,
could see in patterns scattered there
the forms of fabled stories spun.
Then glass was ground into a lens,
which focussed light for those that yearned.
The mysteries of distant stars,
unravelled somewhat as we learned.
As telescopes and knowledge grew,
we learnt not just of stars and space,
but all of nature’s form and flow,
was studied by the human race.
Though Space it was that kept us keen
to be of Physics more aware,
and push that infinite frontier,
until we’d dare to journey there.
We went by rocket and by sweat.
Endeavours in a giant way.
Distracting nations long enough
to put some differences away.
And when we reached that outer space
the thing we felt compelled to do,
was turn to look on Earth our home.
The whole of it in one small view.
Those vast and varied nations plain,
observed together on one ball.
And then it was we understood,
one thing we are, one planet all.
Athos Athanasiou
A space poem a day – World Space Week day 2
A space poem a day – World Space Week day 3
A space poem a day – World Space Week day 4
A space poem a day – World Space Week day 5