“We remember this pioneer whose work expanded our horizons.”
“Now I know why I’m here. Not for a closer look at the Moon, but to look back at our home, the Earth.”
Al often spoke of the transformational experience of his time in space, reflecting back on the Earth and looking out into a wall of stars. While many Apollo astronauts often say, “We should’ve sent poets,” to describe their experience in space, Al Worden became a poet himself, writing several books. In 1974, he published Hello Earth: Greetings from Endeavour and the children’s book, I Want to Know About a Flight to the Moon. In 2011, he released his memoir, Falling to Earth.
Rising From Earth
A vibration, a roar
Motion
Shaking, rattling we lift
Straight up
We climb on plumes of thunder
Into a rising sun
And away from reality
Goodbye my friends
You are gone
The whole world has gone
On a trip
But this must be finished
Faster, faster, can’t turn back
Insignificant, I am insignificant
Lights flash, panel moves
Floating in nothingness
Then softly, softly,
The movement begins again
Push up the switch
And suddenly light everywhere
Earth is floating aimlessly, serenely
Peopled, I know, by intelligent life
Man is ever driven on
Vision greater than deed
Floating so far
Extending the realm of man
Born again in light of day
And everything is suddenly right.
– Al Worden
I think it gave people in this country a great sense of pride in something that they did. And, I think that the pride was stronger than the difficulties and the stresses and the arguments that were going on.
“I take a long-range view of things… I like to look ahead 10,000 years… I don’t care what’s going on today, we’re going to solve the problems we have and we’re going to continue on in space…”
