Earth 2.0 by Andrew Shephard

The solar system of Star 95

closely matches project requirements.

Give me a percentage.

Percentage of what?

Of finding a planet as neat as Earth.

Could be as much as sixty, sir,

according to our best scientists.

The reactor lasts fifty generations?

Seems hard to believe.

We are at the limit, Mr President.

One hitch in the first thousand years

and we could run out of gas.

 

The volunteers – I’m concerned.

Will they survive the radiation?

Models show some damage to the genes.

Whoever lands on two point zero

may look… different.

How different? Better or worse?

No, don’t tell me.

Prepare the launch.

I wrote this poem in Loutro, Crete, after a boat trip at night. Riding the waves, there was a clear sky above (before the moon rose). With the roar of the boat's engine it felt like we were flying through the universe towards the stars.