Faith         (new version of Orbit of Disorder)

New Version

Faith

How I find myself aboard the Soyuz
is the least of my questions. In any
case,
all the answers are scripted in Cyrillic.

From this low earth orbit I can see everything
and nothing. The earth appears an
ornament,
without any sign of swarming souls.

Gravity binds me to the earth, which sums up
my faith. I do not feel its soundless
embrace.
I offer no prayers to compel its grip.

The reentry module is my tacit
salvation.
Is it a question of pushing buttons
in the right combinations?

My skin has grown pale and thin.
I cut easily and bloom with bruises.
Perhaps I’m not up to the drama

of a rescue from space.






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Old Version

How I find myself aboard the Soyuz
is the least of my questions.
In any case, all the answers
are scripted in Cyrillic.

From this low earth orbit
I can see everything--and nothing.
The earth appears a blue ornament,
without any sign of swarming souls.

Unseen gravity binds me to the earth,
which fairly sums up my faith.
I do not feel gravity's soundless embrace.
I offer no prayers to compel its grip.

The reentry module is my tacit salvation,
"my ticket" from these cold confines.
Is it simply a question of pushing buttons
in the right combinations?

My skin has grown pale and thin.
I cut easily and bloom with bruises.
Perhaps I am not up to the drama
of a rescue from space.