Sojourn's Close

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Struggling in the dark to breathe I flip the light switch underneath It's glow surrounds me like a wreath I've landed in a cave An icy mountain cave My pod is running out of air I pop the canopy and stare An ice cave lighted by my flare I take a deepened breath (Is that a tinge of death?) My focus sharpens, taking stock A hint of light there, and some rock I grab supplies and start to walk Along the purple ice A cave of purple ice! I find the sunlight, of all things But not a sound of wanderings No flitting buzz of insect wings Just a horrid silence Vacant, horrid silence A vista spreads before my feet A valley, lakes and trees, replete Yet not a hint of hearts that beat Just throbbing in my ears The throbbing of my fears No flap of creatures on the wing No howls or bellows echoing No noise from ANY living thing There's something very wrong Yes, something's deadly wrong Not long ago there must have been Here and beyond a wondrous scene Lifeforms designed in types yet seen Now, just death's aroma Putrid death's aroma Just weeks before we'd scanned this place From our approach, not far in space 'Twas full of life and not a trace Of ANYthing to fear No pathogens to fear How could this splendid landscape lay With trees and plants, from hills to bay Yet ALL be in such deep decay? Not a creature living Not a thing left living! The smell was overwhelming rot The more I breathed, the more I fought To not expel upon that spot All that was inside me All that lay inside me Just months behind me, colonists Builders, couples, biologists And naught but this apocalypse To welcome their sad eyes Just ghastly mass demise What caused this ruin here was grand A cataclysm, air and land An answer I MUST have in hand Before my friends arrive Or we will not survive No, we will not survive ... Not one soul left alive.

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Joanna Daniel

Date: 8/18/2017 6:49:00 AM

Oh well, reads like a film storyline where the theme is "how to save the world coming to an end", well described, Greg:)

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/20/2017 9:18:00 PM

Thanks, Jo ... yes, I suppose it could be made into a movie. There may be a sequel coming, if it "hits" me, lol. ;-)

Vijay Pandit

Date: 8/18/2017 6:08:00 AM

A time for deep thinking and action--well articulated theme!

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/20/2017 9:11:00 PM

Thanks so much, Vijay - glad you liked it, Friend! :-)

Russell Sivey

Date: 8/18/2017 4:27:00 AM

Interesting write! I envisioned this to be someone living within a dome on a distant planet, and things aren't going very well! But that is just my interpretation! I loved this poem just as it is, with a flowing description of the land and absence of life, a scary depiction of what it could be like someday! What a fantastic piece, one that I really enjoyed reading this morning! Great Work!!

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/20/2017 9:02:00 PM

This was a lot of fun, Russell, I'm so happy you enjoyed it! It is science fiction, and a colonist who has gone ahead of the rest of his fellows to scout a new planet, thinking it's the perfect new home, but discovering something VERY wrong. I may write a sequel. Blessings, Friend!