The Stafford Challenge, Day Eight

No ekphrastic poem today. Also no curtal sonnet. Blank verse this time. Apophis Inspired by a talk by Neil Degrasse Tyson. The archenemy of the Egyptian sun-god Ra, called “The Uncreator,” an evil serpent who tries to devour the sun during the darkness of night. Also the name of an asteroid about the length of the Empire State Building that will pass close to Earth beneath the orbits of GPS satellites. This flyby will happen on Friday the 13th in April 2029. If it passes through an area in space called a gravitational keyhole, 800 miles across, the Earth’s gravity will change Apophis’s orbit and on its return in 2036, it will strike the Earth. But don’t fret. Scientists predict Apophis will not collide with the Earth in the next 100 years. But what if there’s an alien pilot on the asteroid, a kamikaze warrior who will aim for the keyhole? We have about 10 years to live it up, to get our affairs in order. So get your bucket list done now, people! —Draft by Vince Gotera    [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.] 99942 Apophis asteroid (NASA/JPL) Friends, won’t you comment, please? Love to know what you’re thinking. Ingat, everyone.  ヅ