As the rocket settles and the engine stops,

I unbuckle my seatbelt and put my spacesuit on.

It zips snuggly up to my neck, the helmet clips comfortably on top.

My communication gear chirps as it powers on for my touchdown scheduled at dawn.

Outside, the dark ominously waits while inside is safe and calm

But I know for this mission I’m a modern day musketeer.

As the doors slide open, the sweat collects in my palms

And a thumping in my head is all that I can hear.

The air that rushes out is way beyond thrilling

And I watch the dust settle with my first leap at last. 

Yet the coldness that falls on me is bone-chilling

And I’m reminded that I was never this anxious in the past.

The dark was something I never needed to fear,

But my heartbeat is still all I can hear.

I thought moving out of the ship’s shadow is what I desire

But with time, each breath becomes harder

And eventually my lungs feel as if they’ve been set on fire.

However, in the unexplored blackness rests a trillion shimmering lights,

And though I have a long way before I can reach them,

Again I think this trip will be worth so much more than the fights.

With the past’s hardships, grief, and pride, I stumble over the moon’s dust.

Behind me, my sanctuary, my ship begins to fade in the hazy distance.

It hurts my soul to leave home, though I must.

My crew mates, my family for that long space trip, will remain if I need assistance.

As I get farther into the deepest depths of space,

The shadows still attempt to block my view

Of the little lights I’m trying to chase.

But as I escape that scary place, I see swirls of bright orange and blue.

In the future awaits an infinity of galaxies and stars

And the darkness has left me vulnerably blind.

Now I can push myself to go farther than the moon, maybe even to Mars.

That anxiety of leaving the ship has begun to unwind.

And as I can now sit and watch the sun rise on Earth down below,

I’m comfortably reassured that I too, like the sun, have so much more room to grow.