The Apollo Horizon

I am not a sanctuary do not come to me for sanctuary, I am a supernova, the Saturn V rocket prepared to penetrate the highest blue sky with a 6.5 million pound payload ride, my rocket shell steams in idle while erect in your atmosphere the liquid oxygen and hydrogen of my pure propellant power icing this body of heavenward explosion, I am your missile to a new mystery catapulting you into breathtaking cosmic calamity, 363 feet is my jolly height diameter 33 feet of smooth solid girth, the 2, 700 ton launch pad crawler has crept me 3 heavy miles in five grinding hours to the isolated launch site where the fuel lines whisper with cool commitment, the ocher orange launch tower holds my black and white body with firm patience as NASA ushers it's astronauts up to my command module, the elevator raises them with a religious rise to the top of my perfected danger, as they cross the steel bridge between safety and stardom their chests tighten with the pulse of unstoppable destiny, breathing becomes their compass for bravery they must have faith in me, they must trust in my fire, Neil, Edwin, and Michael feel the squeeze of straps and buckles against the spacesuit vestments tailored for their outer space dare, the instrument panels press into their senses prayers remain in their eyes countdown to the crossroads of oblivion and exploration begins, T...Minus 10...We the People 9...of the United States of America 8...through the grace of the Almighty Creator 7...do hereby today, July 16th, 1969 6...extend our will and genius 5...into the realm of celestial existence 4...to better understand 3...the nature of life 2...and to teach ourselves and future children 1...that there is no place that we cannot go J.A.B. This poem is dedicated to all the Astronauts of Humanity. I would like to give special mention to the astronauts of the Apollo 11Lunar Mission, Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin, and Michael Collins along with Wernher Von Braun the great genius of rocketry. The astronauts of Apollo 11 landed on the lunar surface July 20th, 1969 with a global audience viewing the epic achievement live on television while Neil, so beautifully stated, "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind..." Also, may the courageous and disciplined American astronauts of the Apollo 1 Mission, Challenger and Discovery space shuttle tragedies Rest In Peace... The crew of Apollo 1, Virgil Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee burned to death inside the command module during a test on the launch pad, January 27th, 1967. The Challenger exploded shortly after launching, January 28th, 1986 with crew Francis Scobee, Michael Smith, Ron McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Greg Garvis, and Christa McAuliffe. On February 1st, 2003 the Columbia shuttle exploded upon reentry killing the entire crew Rick Husband, William McCool, Michael Anderson, Kalpana Chawla, David Brown, Laurel Clark, and Ilan Ramon. They are heros...Justin A. Bordner