Author Information
"Porthole"
by Jeph Johnson
Can questioning eyes stare from the porthole
watching colors dissolve into monochrome
and still place their faith in a mission control
that's thirty five million miles from home?
Dancing with the stars in space
he choreographs a landing place
His blue planet's gone,
making Mars his home base.
For a season they wondered what's in store,
but they've seen this play out many times before
in sci-fi films and fantasy folklore.
Memories fade, and transmissions are ignored.
Stares frightened and frozen inside the porthole
are eyes who must now make this planet home.
The paralyzed plight of a mere mortal:
one side hyperspace, one side hyperbole
