In Orbit

In Orbit

"Remain in orbit, steady as she goes!"
Urgency transmitted, our tension grows.
Relentless thrusters pushed to their red zone,
All shudder at the constant warning tone.
How long they can handle this, no one knows.

Why this forsaken world nobody chose,
A roiling planet in its death throes?
The surface seethes, Captain lets out a moan,
"Remain in orbit."

Forward momentum gradually slows.
The hull beneath us perceptibly glows.
If we have sins, then it's time to atone.
Soon we are gasping, burning bodies prone.
No witnesses left our death to expose.
Remains in orbit.

Rondeau poem with 15 lines. Submitted to the Invalid Item .

Notes on form ▼

Rondeau: a French form of poetry composed of 15 lines, each of which between eight and 10 syllables. I chose a consistent 10 syllables, though consistency is not mandated. Rondeau poems are divided into three stanzas: a quintet, a quatrain, and a sestet.

The opening words of the first line of the first stanza serve as a refrain that will be repeated in the last line of the second and third stanzas. I took some liberties with this in the final line of the sestet.

Rhyme scheme is as follows, with “r” representing the shorter refrain: AABBA AABr AABBAr.