Ignition, support trusses fall away
Spectacular roar and blaze
The tremendous force to reach escape velocity.
Faces glued to the screen, bated breath
Lift-off the culmination of years of work
Any unnoticed deficiencies will manifest now
Sometimes with calamitous results
Nothing to do now but monitor
I look at the face of my daughter
I feel like I should read her a story and tuck her into bed
Years of research and labor behind us.
Nothing for me to do now but monitor the screen
Keep the communications open
She left with a blaze and a roar
Reaching for escape velocity
~Ann Fleming