Almighty Ruler of the All -- Robert A Heinlein

In memory of the Columbia and her crew...

(Poem #1162) Almighty Ruler of the All Almighty ruler of the all Whose power extends to great and small, Who guides the stars with steadfast law, Whose least creation fills with awe - Oh grant Thy mercy and Thy grace To those who venture into space. -- Robert A Heinlein

Notes:
  From the short story "Ordeal in Space", collected in "The Past Through
    Tomorrow"
  Intended as an additional verse to the Navy Hymn ("Eternal Father, Strong
    to Save")

As Heinlein fans are doubtless aware, his work includes several examples of
verse by fictional poets. "The Green Hills of Earth" [Poem #241] is
undoubtedly the best known, but today's poem runs it a close second (helped,
no doubt, by the popularity of the Navy Hymn).

I was moved to think of this (and of several other poems and songs) today,
and to reflect that, no matter how much one reads about the dangers and
perils of spaceflight, it never really strikes home until something like
this happens. It is far easier to believe in "those in peril on the sea" -
the seventeen years since Challenger have made astronauts safely invulnerable
in the public consciousness. No more.

Requiesat in Pacem.

Links:
  There is, unsurprisingly, a lot of filk appropriate to the occasion. I
  considered running some, but hesitated to separate the words from the
  music - go listen instead. I recommend "Fire in the Sky" and "Hope Eyrie"
  from the Virtual Filksing
    http://www.prometheus-music.com/eli/virtual.html

  A few minstrels links:
   Poem #276: High Flight
   Poem #609: Winged Man

 The original Navy Hymn:
   [broken link] http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/questions/eternal.html
 There are also several additional verses; astonishingly, the Heinlen one is
 not among them.

PostScript: I am also reminded of the Poul Anderson novel "We Have Fed our
Seas", which was titled after one of Kipling's poems; I was actually
planning on running that one, but unfortunately could not find the poem. If
you have a copy, please write in.

martin

The Green Hills of Earth -- Robert A Heinlein

Inspired by Martin's science fiction reference...

(Poem #241) The Green Hills of Earth Let the sweet fresh breezes heal me As they rove around the girth Of our lovely mother planet Of the cool, green hills of Earth. We rot in the moulds of Venus, We retch at her tainted breath. Foul are her flooded jungles, Crawling with unclean death. [ --- the harsh bright soil of Luna --- --- Saturn's rainbow rings --- --- the frozen night of Titan --- ] We've tried each spinning space mote And reckoned its true worth: Take us back again to the homes of men On the cool, green hills of Earth. The arching sky is calling Spacemen back to their trade. ALL HANDS! STAND BY! FREE FALLING! And the lights below us fade. Out ride the sons of Terra, Far drives the thundering jet, Up leaps a race of Earthmen, Out, far, and onward yet --- We pray for one last landing On the globe that gave us birth; Let us rest our eyes on the friendly skies And the cool, green hills of Earth. -- Robert A Heinlein

[Taken from Heinlein's brilliant short story of the same name]

In the short story (which, btw, is one of the true classics of sf - read it!),
today's poem is the work of Rhysling, the 'Blind Singer of the Spaceways'. I
won't spoil the story for you by revealing the plot; suffice to say that the
SFWA's annual poetry award is now called the Rhysling Award. Honour enough,
wouldn't you say?

As for the poem itself, I think it's quite strong enough to stand on its own.
Apart from inspiring countless filks (indeed, the very concept of filk [1] can
perhaps be traced back to Rhysling), it has a simplicity which sets it apart
from the majority of poems with similar themes.

I especially like the last stanza - every word seems perfect; any change would
be for the worse.

thomas.

[1]  "music that readers of science fiction enjoy playing and writing, usually
with acid social commentary and humor, and sometimes sheer beauty that makes you
cry and shiver." - definition courtesy Martin, who likes the stuff (I don't.).
Flame him, not me.

PS. The gap in the middle is not because I don't remember the words, but because
Heinlein himself never expanded on these stanzas beyond the phrases featured in
[]s.