Poetrility(Because nothing rhymes with "poetry")

Narrative Poem:  Mae C. Jemison

I have been waiting for nearly forever, (11)
hoping that this day was finally here, (10)
but as we take off from Kennedy Center, (11)
I find that I am still a little afraid.(11)

It's a good kind of fear, coupled with excitement, (12)
like when your eyes are closed at the top of a swing, (12)
you get a tingling feeling in your belly, (12)
like dozens of butterflies tickling your tum. (12)

I think about all that I've done to get here, (11)
and what I could possibly do after this. (11)
Although I have a BS in chemistry, (11)
what could possibly top working in space? (10)

I think that it will be a long, long time (10)
until this gleaming vessel propels me back home. (12)
While I'm observing a bone cell experiment, (12)
I think about what an accomplishment I've made. (12)

I am like a turtle, one of the very few (12)
that can climb out of its habitat. (10)
I'm the first African American woman (12)
to venture into the final frontier. (10)



Explanation:  Mae C. Jemison

Mae C. Jemison was the first female African-American astronaut in history.  As a young girl, she watched Star Trek: The Original Series. One of the characters, Lieutenant Uhura, an African-American Technical Officer, played by Nichelle Nichols, inspired her to become an astronaut, and Jemison later guest starred in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.  The "final frontier" line is an allusion to the title sequence narration of both Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation, which both begin with "Space: The final frontier. These are the voyages..." The "I think that it will be a long, long time" line is a slightly modified version of a part of the lyrics in the Elton John song "Rocketman," which I felt was a fitting reference, because the song, as well as this poem, concerns (on the surface, at least) space travel.  Needless to say, Mae's role in STS-47, the 50th Space Shuttle Program Mission, was a landmark achievement in helping to fully ensure equal rights and more important roles in society for both African-Americans and women.