As my space shuttle touches down on earth’s familiar territory I find I have become more alien than human Through my journey in the seemingly infinite darkness
I recognize the faces of friends and family As well as the landmarks of my childhood However as I remove my helmet, the fresh air feels foreign in my lungs
A language barrier has also erected itself in my absence My words only result in confused glances An invisible forcefield thicker than the atmosphere prevents my meaning from landing Silence has become my method of speech My native tongue doesn’t rest comfortably between my teeth and lips anymore
I try to remove my bulky battle armour of glass and fabric It has shielded me from the assault of emptiness And the weapons of rock and ice that quietly aimed and fired at my heart Cloaked in shadows and stillness
I find that it is more difficult to remove than I imagined But I cannot truly return to where I belong until I let its weight fall from my shoulders And so I must The steadying anchor of gravity calls me home and I must obey