I have a strange relationship with flying. Well, to be totally honest a staggeringly larger percentage of my relationships can be described as at least being somewhat strange. With flying it’s a bit of a love/hate thing; I loved the idea of flying but didn’t like the whole ancillary airborne experience - airports, rental cars, hotels, and eating alone while my family was anywhere from 500 to 2,500 miles away got old really fast. Back before we went completely ape-shit with our security theatre which brought us to where we are today, they would randomly pick a few passengers who would get patted down and have their luggage dug through. I managed to win that “randomized secondary security scan lottery” at least once per trip. Which called into question if anyone doing the screening knew what “random” meant. But I digress……

Growing up, I read everything I could about flying and would happily quote fun flying facts to all of my friends and relatives. I’m sure I annoying the shit out of them, but for the most part they would just smile and pat me on the head…..and then move as far away from me as they could. This trend continued on into my adult life; after years of begging my parents to take me to the Labor Day Weekend Airshow, I finally managed to get to a show at the age of 27. Once again, I was a font of unrestrained information on flying….and once again people slowly moved away from me.

Now I’m a bit older and wiser and only take people who actually enjoy air shows with me and who - at least to this point - don’t seem to feel a highly compelling need to be somewhere where I’m not when the planes start up into the air.

There is a staggeringly large amount of poetry written about flying - and spaceflight, which I view as a direct descendant of flying - so it was hard to pick one piece out for today. Yet, I think I found something unique that most people haven’t ever read, or if they have read it, have never read it in it’s entirety.  In 1961, the US Navy launched the Transit Research and Attitude Control (TRAAC) satellite from Cape Kennedy. This satellite, which was used to measure the effects of radiation from nuclear explosions in space, carried the first poem to be launched into Earth. Today’s poem is For a Space Prober by Thomas G. Bergin of Yale University.

For a Space Prober

From Time’s obscure beginning, the Olympians Have, moved by pity, anger, sometimes mirth, Poured an abundant store of missiles down On the resigned, defenceless sons of Earth.

Hailstones and chiding thunderclaps of Jove, Remote directives from the constellations: Aye, the celestials have swooped down themselves, Grim bent on miracles or incarnations.

Earth and her offspring patiently endured, (Having no choice) and as the years rolled by In trial and toil prepared their counterstroke— And now ’tis man who dares assault the sky.

Fear not, Immortals, we forgive your faults, And as we come to claim our promised place Aim only to repay the good you gave And warm with human love the chill of space.