A space race

purple haze round
engine furnace beneath
sound grows and hurtles us
faster than the speed of
from the spinning orb
stay within the mist

high up rock
shapes rise to colour
our eyes adrift at pace
floating across land
at ebb and flow sea
cloud change and blind

further out black
our artificial air
lets us breathe space
gives us our worth
atoms amongst billions
stars part of universe

not up nor down
home is nowhere
a gentle descent to safe
fire shattered retina
last gasp wrench
back to black and light