erasure from “Cosmos” by Carl Sagan
we are
halfway to the
galaxy
within
are worlds and
things beings civilizations
seashells corals
Nature laboring for aeons
some hundred billion galaxies each with
a hundred billion stars
In the face of
the Sun
Why should we in some
forgotten corner
brimming over with life
do not yet know beginning our explora-
tions we are hard pressed
the only planet
utterly lost
our journey on Earth
sparse obscure unpretentious
seen in the
huge pinwheel of stars
spiral
arms turning slowly Now
we find ourselves falling
an obscure
impression
stars streaming by us a vast array
luminous stars
others
solitary