Ode to the Phoenix Mars Lander ollow the water' they told you, and rocketed you out there alone. 'You'll comb the terrain, for snow, ice, or rain, and we'll grock what you see back at home.' More than seven-score days since they sent you, shoveling months in dark, frigid cold. Yet true to your name, the Phoenix's flame burned far longer than NASA …
That was very sad and touching.
Surely, someone out there can write some really haunting and sad "tear-jerker" music to go with those words, something powerful enough to reduce every geek on the planet, from here to Timbuktoo to floods of tears. Go on, you know you want to.
BTW, never say die, the Phoenix might live up to its name, confound us all and come back to life when the Sun returns. The tune of the moment will then be "Here comes the Sun....."
Till then,
Adios Phoenix Mars Lander!
Data Odyssey
I thought that some of the metaphysical imagery was really particularly effective, and it employs interesting rhythmic devices too which seemed to counterpoint the surrealism of the underlying metaphor of the humanity of the poet's compassionate soul which contrives through the medium of the verse structure to sublimate this, transcend that, and come to terms with the fundamental dichotomies of the other, and one is left with a profound and vivid insight into whatever it was the poem was about.
If you'll excuse me, I've got all shooting pains in my left arm.
Martian: 'Ello NASA, I wish to make a complaint about this lander I purchased only a few months ago.
NASA: Oh yes, the, uh, the Phoenix...What's,uh...What's wrong with it?
Martian: I'll tell you what's wrong with it, my lad. 'E's dead, that's what's wrong with it!
NASA: No, no, 'e's uh,...he's resting.
Martian: Look, matey, I know a dead lander when I see one, and I'm looking at one right now.
NASA: No no he's not dead, he's, he's restin'! Remarkable lander, the Phoenix, idn'it, ay? Beautiful payloads!
Martian: The payload don't enter into it. It's stone dead.
NASA: Nononono, no, no! 'E's resting!
Martian: All right then, if he's restin', I'll wake him up!
Martian: 'Ello, Mister Phoenix lander! I've got a lovely fresh lifeform for you...
and so on and so forth!!
Mine's the one thats looks like a straight jacket...
I loved Phoenix's tweets and managed to get all sentimental about a chunk of metal on a distant rock. Whoever was responsible for writing them deserves a promotion!
Phoenix, you will be missed, let's hope you can boot up again when the summer comes around somewhere in Sol 2010.
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2024
