Philae

I’m here,
One sore shoulder leaning
Against the rising edge of day,
Still drowsy from my sleeping
In the shadow of your dream,
Still waking from the night,
Still wondering why I have heard
Nothing from you.

But now, even if I heard something –
Got a word from on high;
I’m not sure I could leave here –
Not sure I can even move.
I may be sitting in a canyon –
Wouldn’t know it if I was.
I couldn't do a thing about it –
Can’t imagine where I’d go
To find you.

I’m here,
One-more older, settling
In this carbon-blacked crust of clay,
Still listening for the soundings
Of life and all that might mean,
Still waiting in the quiet,
Still wondering why I have heard
Nothing from you.

But now, even if I heard something –
Got a sign from on high,
I’m not sure that I’d believe it –
Can’t promise you I’d leave.
I may be resting in a kingdom –
Wouldn’t know it if I was,
I couldn't do a thing about it –
Can’t imagine how to want
You any more.

I’m here,
Getting colder, curling up
Beneath the spiral Rosetta,
Still longing for your sending
Or your last word to end me.
Still hoping you were right,
Still wondering why I am hurt
By nothing from you.

____________________________

Inspired by the comet lander, Philae, and its patient wait in the shadows of comet 67P for its solar batteries to charge enough for it to resume communications with its makers via its “mother ship”, the orbiter spacecraft, Rosetta. Rosetta continues to take valuable data as it circles around the rocky comet in a spiral pattern.  It was said that even if Philae were sitting directly over evidence of extra-terrestrial microbial life, it wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

Coincidentally, on this date in 1799, the Rosetta stone was discovered by French soldiers in Egypt. The Rosetta stone, used in conjunction with the Philae obelisk, was an essential key in deciphering the Egyptian hieroglyphs.