Poem: Selene, smashed not shattered

Tucked in a tiny timed capsuleagainst its wonky, worldly windowsmesmerized the momentary Moonfarersat sweeping sights of SeleneCreased by craters and crowning peaksmelts and mountains molded in weeksamid barrages of ballistically laid beadslingered the landscape of LunaWhat the world could viewis impact not as distantthrough the capsule crewFor a world bent and batteredshowed that it wasn’t shatteredthat it was weathered, not witheredtrembled, not tamed or tatteredJust like the proud peopleon our pretty planetdefending their dignitywith greater gravityWhat the world could viewis impact not as distant too.When will that brew?Our Moon and Earth as seen by Artemis II astronauts during their April 6 lunar flyby. Image: NASA / Artemis IINotes: This poem is for Days 13 and 14 of the Global Poetry Writing Month. I wrote it to capture and metaphorically reflect on the striking, geologically rich landscape we all could see through the eyes of NASA’s Artemis II astronauts as they flew by the…