Apollo 8

1968

Another poem I have been waiting for the right moment to share.

This iconic picture shows Earth peeking out from beyond the lunar surface as the first crewed spacecraft circumnavigated the Moon.

1968 (Apollo 8)
by Laura L. Hansen

The earth rises like a moon
along the curved horizon
of its own moon,

and astronauts see
for the first time
earth as lonely half-lit planet.

Imagine seeing ourselves
rise slowly, only dimly known,
into another's vision,

to understand for the first time
that the world that spins 
around our psychic selves

is watching us as well.
How might we behave under 
the glare of this new lens? 

In two days, an eclipse 
will blot out the sun,
and for those few moments

we will be given the chance
to decide 
who we will be

as we rise 
from the darkened day
into the light of our future being. 

Source Article: Photo Source NASA

Taken aboard Apollo 8 by Bill Anders, this iconic picture shows Earth peeking out from beyond the lunar surface as the first crewed spacecraft circumnavigated the Moon, with astronauts Anders, Frank Borman, and Jim Lovell aboard.

Image Credit: NASA

There is also an intriguing photo in this recent article from the Atlantic.

What do you think? What would be a good soundtrack for this post, Rocket Man or Harvest Moon? Here is a version of Harvest Moon I just love.

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