Astronaut Scott Kelly aboard the International Space Station during his 340-day mission with his arms folded, of course.
Astronauts on the space station
Float with their arms folded
During interviews
Because
If they don’t
Their arms float up
And they look like polar bears
Begging for food
And
Since there are no polar bears
On the space station
Astronauts fold their arms.
I think polar bears
Would love to spend a year
On the space station
Provided, of course,
That NASA keeps them supplied
With fresh seals.
The bears would be glad to get away from
Shrinking ice floes
Hunters
And Coca Cola ad executives
Bothering them with a drink
They don’t want and can’t use.
Astronauts fold their arms
Not to barricade themselves
From torments real or imagined
Or so they don’t look like
Polar bears
Or even to dance the hora.
No, astronauts
Fold their arms
To embrace the world
Beneath them
To reassure all of us
Here below
And to hold us close
In peace.
Dan Verner
March 6, 2016
Biscuit City 