Today marks the anniversary of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.

As the shuttle returned to Earth on February 1, 2003, it broke apart upon re-entry to our planet’s atmosphere.

The faces in the crew photo, above, express such hope and excitement. The astronauts are full of knowledge and curiosity.

And youth. They look so young. Here are their names, from left: mission specialist David Brown. commander Rick Husband, mission specialist Laurel Clark, mission specialist Kalpana Chawla, mission specialist Michael Anderson, pilot William McCool, and Israeli payload specialist Ilan Ramon.

The loss of seven Columbia astronauts’ lives was still on Mom’s mind a few days later, when she wrote this poem:

Skylights

Last night on our skylight
rice pudding snow

The night before
the Moon fed us hope and wonder
from her great light

In the half dark our flag slumps now
sleeping at mid-mast
after a rain of mourning

Death took the seven who rose up
scattered them on their own earth
they left to know the sky

Early this morning
eight wintering bluebirds
cast the color of sky
across our sorrow
flew to our feeders

~ Joan Vayo, 5 February 2003

“Skylights” © 2003 Joan Vayo. All rights reserved.

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