My Prayer-Poem for the 8th day of Lent, Wednesday 24 February 2021

Perseverance
The journey to Jezero,
seven long and silent months
the Rover now approaches
the landing structure bumps.
Then seven minutes follow
of terror multiplied;
plummeting, parachuting,
thrusters reverse collide.
Three hundred million miles away
mere mortals watch their screens;
their scientific planning
their hopes and all their dreams
depend on this rapid approach,
inexorable and fixed;
the Perseverance responds well,
control and power mixed.
And now the dusty planet
we’ve come to know as Mars
could soon provide a haven
from our polluting cars.
Lord, thank you for the intellect
which made this journey real
for wonders of discovery
but I cannot help but feel
that if we showed more kindness
towards our planet Earth
with care and moderation,
respect for all its worth,
we may have used our scientists
to much greater effect
and not to desperately plan
to leave the home we’re wrecked.
​©️Mark Andrew Smith #the100dayproject #KingsTaunton #PrayAPoem

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