Iconic

The First Man must be humble
yet self-possessed in times of crisis
confident, as one who's been sorely tried.

Drop him, spin him, shake him
race his heart,
see if he dies.

Undaunted by fame,
puzzled by all the fuss,
natural in the glare.

Stick him in a close compartment,
sling it into the girding dark;
crown him with hero's laurels
should he return.

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Real space nuts know that July 20th, 2009 marks the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 landing on the moon.

As that date draws near, I’m filled with equal parts nostalgia and melancholy.  In July, 1969 I was five and 2/3 years old and still believed anything was possible.  I recall being absolutely entranced by the thought of a man, a human being just like me, walking around up there on the moon.

Not sure why I’ve been so hung up on the moon this year–there’s the radio play I wrote, “Innocent Moon”, for the BBC contest…and later on in July we’ll be posting a special treat Sherron helped me put together, a short but sweet homage to Neil and the lads, using some of the fancy gear that came with this iMac.  I’ll say no more.  Watch for it in a couple of weeks.

And I came across this fantastic site real Apollo aficionados will love:  you sign in and you can relive every moment of that four-day mission in real time.  Take a trip to the moon with Neil, Buzz and Mike Collins.  Only recommended for those with strong bladders and 96 hours to kill.

If anyone knows of other interesting sites celebrating the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11, use the Comments form below and give us a head’s up (be sure to include a link).

Personal reminiscences are also welcome:  where we you forty years ago and how did that one small step affect you, your life and your outlook on the universe?

Do tell…