An Ode to Pioneer 10

We heard from you the other day
As from a long lost forgotten friend
Of how your lonely journey continues
And the mighty distances you transcend
Of the binary coded response you made
To what our hopeful arrogance could send

I lay in the twilight grass that very evening
My mortal eyes searching out the silent sky
And taking in the clear, bright, infinite night
I was awestruck with wonderings of how and why
And time and mind unfolded in my sight
Into my imaginings along the course you fly

An eon hence and even further afar
I imagine you still to Taurus bound
One day passing by a distant star
With what alien wonder might you be found?
And on finding you, our avatar
What alien philosophers might you astound?

Across the void, backwards into time
They will know us through you, our invention
Our aspirations, hopes, and dreams sublime
As they try to grasp our purpose and intention
Or perhaps being an older, wiser race
They will simply smile and marvel at our pretension?

I thought about all the possible universes
Measuring the probable against infinity
Allowing my perception to stretch and extend
I thought of out of context bible verses
Of what is truly anointed for eternity
Of time out of mind, and world without end

Frank J. Hernandez

Copyright ©2001 Frank Hernandez