Oh Captain! How my Captain lies

Oh Captain! How my Captain lies,

All fallen cold and dead.

She lived ‘mid war and strife below,

And now her story’s said.

~

Now done, the path of peace she laid,

Through journeys to the stars.

A brighter heav’n in truth she made,

As ships she cast afar.

~

All nations pledged their faith to her,

And vowed to forgo arms.

For sixty years the concord kept,

Safe from all conflict's harms.

~

But now pacific path has ceased,

As rivals press their cause,

And nations raise their battle cry,

The fight no longer paused.

~

Alas, the peace is laid to rest,

I mourn her swift demise.

No more will global amity

Sustain domain of skies.

~

Yet all the more we now must strive,

Land grabbing to forbear.

The fruit of wit and science gained,

With all the world to share.

~

For sure the legacy of peace

In silver craft is stored,

To carry on our noble trust

To galaxies abroad.

~

For centuries these ships will sail,

Beyond our Earth and Sun.

Millenia they will endure,

When our poor world is done.

~

Go with our blessings, ships of hope,

Sail to the ends of time.

Go with our history of love,

Humanity sublime.

O ~ o ~

O ~ o ~

Walt Whitman, O Captain! My Captain!

Outer Space Treaty, 1967