The flight of Artemis II has captured the attention of the world. The thunderous launch, the flight around the moon’s unseen surface and the pictures of earth floating alone in space.
The voyage is both a technical triumph and a remarkable achievement of human spirit and courage.
Over two centuries earlier, radical technology was being introduced at the beginning of England’s industrial revolution. The romantic poet who celebrated the beauty of nature was similarly awed by the powers of these new technical creations.
He wrote of the future hope promised by these human inventions. His words celebrate the changes occurring and could easily portray the spirit today of the Artemis voyage now under way. His final stanza seems almost prescient.
Steamboats, Viaducts and Railways
Motion and Means, on land and sea at war
With old poetic feeling, not for this,
Shall ye, by Poets even, be judged amiss!
Nor shall your presence, howsoe’ er it mar
The loveliness of Nature, prove a bar
To the Mind’s gaining that prophetic sense
Of future change, that point of vision, whence
May be discovered what in soul ye are.
In spite of all that beauty may disown
In your harsh features, Nature doth embrace
Her lawful offspring in Man’s art; and Time,
Pleased with your triumphs o’er his brother Space,
Accepts from your bold hands the proffered crown
Of hope, and smiles on you with cheer sublime.