Here’s a wonderful collaboration between hard-core science and light-hearted, grassroots art: NASA is inviting everyone to contribute a haiku to be considered to be carried into the Martian atmosphere. In addition to the three winning poems, the first names of everyone who submits will also be carried to the red planet’s atmosphere. Poems must be submitted before the end of June. For full contest rules, please go to http://lasp.colorado.edu/maven/goingtomars/contest-rules/
And what’s more, the public gets to vote on winning poems—kind of like “Dancing with the Stars”.
Between July 1 and July 29, 2013, do visit http://lasp.colorado.edu/maven/goingtomars/contest-rules/ to vote.
Even though the odds are…well, astronomical…I can’t resist submitting one. Or writing five. If you would like to start voting early, I invite you to help me decide which I should submit. I will be submitting mine the last week in June. Be sure to get me your vote by June 22, 2013. You can vote in the Comments section at the end of this post.
Mars Haiku (by Leslie Schultz)
1)
We lie awake, Mars,
wondering: how did you make
ice? Your rock-red heart?
2)
Mars, we lie awake
wondering what lies under
ice caps, heart-red rock.
3)
Not strawberry, flame,
cardinal, antique barn door,
ruby. Still secret.
4)
red marble rolling:
blue marble comes calling now
across icy space
5)
Mars: humans fight fear,
laws of physics, driven by
curiosity.
And if you would like to publish your own Martian haiku here on Planet Earth, send it to me, and I will devote another post to Mars haiku in the long dog days of summer. Then sit back and know that, win or lose, your name will rocket into space later this year and next year will do an orbiting dance in the Martian atmosphere.
For someone who values words, this is literally as high as one can aspire: go for it!
Other News
Mars and Earth images are public domain images which were found on the bitbox post, 35 Stunning Hi-Res “Public Domain” Astronomy Images
For a lighthearted take on Saturn energy, take a look at a new page on the ancient topic of labyrinths, a long term exploratory and publishing interest of mine. Click HERE to visit Winona Media’s new Labyrinth’s page.