(for the crew of Artemis II)

We pray for one last landing / On the globe that gave us birth; Let us rest our eyes on the fleecy skies / And the cool, green hills of Earth.—Rhysling, the “blind singer of the spaceways” and former jet engineer,  in Robert Heinlein’s The Green Hills of Earth

Ultimately we will always choose Earth
We will always choose each other
Hear the spacewoman’s oracle:                     
We will build ships. We will visit again.[1]  

We will always choose each other[2]
She echoed Heinlein’s Rhysling,
“Blind Singer of the Spaceways,”           
of the cool green hills of Earth.[3]  

She echoed Heinlein’s Rhysling.
Hear the spacewoman’s oracle:
We will explore. We will build.
Ultimately we will always choose Earth.[4]  

All of us, no matter where you’re from
(another space-singer looked our way)
From up here, you also look like one thing.
No matter what you look like[5]—   

Another space-singer looked our way,
Home sapiens, we’re all one people.
No matter what you look like[6]—
we love you, from the moon.  

Home sapiens, we’re all one people.
From up here, you also look like one thing:
Trust us…you look beautiful…
all of us, no matter where you’re from[7].  

[1] Artemis II astronaut Christina Koch
[2] Artemis II astronaut Christina Koch
[3] Robert Heinlein
[4] Artemis II astronaut Christina Koch
[5] Artemis II astronaut Victor Glover
[6] Artemis II astronaut Victor Glover
[7] Artemis II astronaut Victor Glover