And stars are hidden by the scudding clouds,

I lie and marvel how the creatures ‘round

My cabin duck death-angel’s dreaded shrouds.

I could not last a single night like this

Outdoors, ‘though garbed in all my warmest togs.

And yet, before I hear the teapot’s hiss

The coyotes welcome dawn like carefree dogs.

I wondered at such things once to a friend.

A philosophic type … a Greek was he.

I’ll not forget his words until my end;

And here in verse is what he said to me:

A thousand generations in these parts

Has made the savage, winter winds to seem

As normal to their stalwart, robust hearts

As Summer’s breeze and morning sunlight’s beam.

It’s we who are the marvels, don’t you know,

Who with our wits and brains so bright and smart

Have learned survival through the months of snow

Far from the tropics where we got our start.

And as I pondered on my wise friend’s words

I saw what special creatures we must be:

We cannot float unaided with the birds,

Nor swim on breath alone beneath the sea.

Yet even these strange realms we’ve made our own

With planes and aqua-lungs and other gear.

And now plan out in empty space to roam

Far from the safety of this biosphere.

What strange and hostile places we find there

Will test us once again, but we’ll not fail

In time to make our homes in other air,

On other worlds to which we boldly sail!