Opportunity

On February 13, the Mars rover Opportunity delivers its last message;

"My battery is low.

And its getting dark."

The little robot settles down on Martian sand for the last time.

She is tired,

And she is old

And the storms around her are not very kind.

This is now familiar.

It is an agelong sentiment,

Half-life prophecy

Now acquainted with the stars.

How very human,

To die alone.

To go quiet into the night.

To leave messages behind so someone else can mourn you.

"My battery is low and its getting dark."

Discovery and innocence;

Non-sentient machinery we send into the abyss

Finds the best parts of ourselves  there.

We stopped wishing on the stars a long time ago.

Forgot about the comets that always managed to pass by home.

She looked at the universe for us,

Reminded the inhabitants of the pale blue dot

What it felt like to wonder again.

What if felt like to hope that we would not end up alone.

So little rover,

Sleep sound tonight.

We are trying to make the best of what you left for us.