Thought and Space

by Ray Bradbury

　　Space—thy boundaries are

　　    Time and time alone.

　　No earth-born rocket,

　　    seedling skyward sown,

　　Will ever reach your cold,

　　    infinite end,

　　This power is not Man's to

　　    build or send.

　　Great deities laugh down,

　　    venting their mirth,

　　At struggling bipeds on

　　    a cloud-wrapped Earth,

　　Chained solid on a war-swept,

　　    waning globe,

　　For FATE, who witnesses,

　　    to pry and probe.

　　BUT LIST! One weapon have

　　    I stronger yet!

　　Prepare Infinity! And

　　    Gods regret!

　　Thought, quick as light,

　　    shall pierce the veil,

　　To reach the lost beginnings

　　    Holy Grail.

　　Across the sullen void on

　　    soundless trail,

　　Where new spawned suns and

　　    chilling planets wail,

　　One thought shall travel

　　    midst the gods' playthings,

　　Past cindered globes where

　　    choking flame still sings.

　　No wall of force yet have ye

　　    firmly wrought,

　　That chains the supreme

　　    strength of purest thought.

　　Unleashed, without a body's

　　    slacking hold,

　　Thought leaves the ancient

　　    Earth behind to mold.

　　And when the galaxies have

　　    heeded DEATH,

　　And welcomed lastly SPACE'S

　　    poisoned breath,

　　Still shall thought travel

　　    as an arrow flown.

　　SPACE—thy boundaries are

　　    TIME——AND TIME ALONE!