|
|
It was just another mission
Like so many before
Up to this point
A successful twenty-four.
Nothing seemed unusual
The morning of the twenty-eighth
They were used to the delays--
They would be launching late.
They all smiled at the cameras
As we watched them load the van
And the nation watched them give a wave;
We unconsciously raised our hands.
The van took them out to 39B
Where the Challenger majestically waited
The crew climbed into the elevator
We watched with breath bated.
Then up to the white room the seven went
Two women and five men
As we watched the elevator whisk them up
We felt confident we'd see them again.
A NASA camera recorded events
As the seven donned their space suits
And the whole nation watched the proceedings
Right down to the lacing of their boots.
As they loaded them onto the shuttle
They were all excited, we know
We can all imagine what went through their minds
"Come on, let's get started. Let's GO!"
There had been minor problems the day before
A hatch door that didn't close right
But on the morning of the twenth-eighth
The faulty door closed tight.
The night before the launch had been cold
And ice had formed on the shuttle
But by the time the Challenger was ready to go
The ice was just a mere puddle.
This was a special shuttle flight
A teacher was part of the crew
She was going to teach science lessons from space
To students both old and new.
Finally NASA said "We're go for the launch
Everything's looking A-ok"
And finally that morning at eleven thirty-eight
Challenger was on her way.
But then just a minute into the flight
Something went terribly wrong
Challenger was ten miles above the earth
And in a burst of fire, shuttle and crew were gone.
We stared at the sky in disbelief
The horror had not yet sunk in
This had to be some kind of terrible joke
Of course, we'd see them again.
But finally, as the horrible truth crystallized
On our minds and in our hearts
The whole nation grieves for the loss of the lives
And in anguish, the tears finally start.
those people were special, of that there's no doubt
they persued America's goals,
And we'll never let them be forgotten--
They invested their lives, and their souls.
And now, we've said our final goodbye
We know that life will go on
We, in your memories will keep up the pace
To explore the earth, and beyond.
To Scoebee, McAuliffe, Resnick, and Smith
Onizuka, McNair and Jarvis a salute--
To seven who gave this nation their all--
This is but small tribute.
We know they are all in God's hands now
As He looks down on this nation from Heaven
And they will forever be Heroes to us---
The crew known as THE CHALLENGER SEVEN.
CSH 1-31-86
|
|
|
 |
|
|
