The second mission they embarked
found lotus flowers and people sleeping
the Berthold rays showered on the planet
caused massive growth in plants and treelings
It was believed that all had died
for Berthold rays are deadly dealings
but beaming down to survey the planet
they found plants, people, mellow feelings
with such a welcome warm as sunlight
the crew shed off their sterile suits
they breathed the air sweet with blue flowers
forgot their ship, captain, and their route
The CMO, always so wary,
with tricorder, mask, and mind acute
took readings of the lotus eaters
and found medical mystery a-fruit
Like Khan, these people had no blemish
no malady, no scars, no ills
Amputations, hurts, and surgeries
vanished without a godlike doctor's skill
Meanwhile Spock, Keenser, 0718,
and Madeleine's conditions grew chill
they abandoned their duties, ran wild in the flowers
spoke to the treelings and drank deep of the thrill
Spock felt a freedom and a wonder
without the taint of grief and guilt
He longed to stay in this world always
so not to face the past blood spilt
Keenser clicked, blinked and broke his silence
stole Scotty's Scotch and tartan kilt
0718 lost all direction
his compass head a-lilt and a-tilt
Madeleine swam in the waters
her skin alight with bronze highlights
she touched the trees and thought a minute
of the fire that had burned her hive
The others of the Enterprise
lay down and dreamed with blown out sight
lost in the ease of lifeless flight
to a perfect, beautiful world.
The Captain, tired and still hurting
from Vulcan, Khan, Pike's death and Spock
succumbed to bliss without a quarrel
resigned to leave his ship in dock
The Doctor, masked and now despairing
the last to balk at paradise
injected himself with the blue pollen
to fight and walk and loose the vise
He felt the high, the ease, the blessing
the need to sleep, let this suffice
then rage and anger roared to meet them
"This is not life, but sacrifice.
I know we all have sorrow buried
I know we all long for a day
when we have ease and restoration
but this drugged sleep is not the way
To find our lives and true beginnings
we must have faith that come what may
life will restore and bring us respite
life will give meaning, love, allay."
With this resolved, he then descended
to find Jim, Spock, Uhura, Scotty
He tried to rouse his friend to anger
but Jim was lost in thundering party
reliving empty, thoughtless existence
of darkness, bass, sex and heartbeat
Bones found Spock and knowing the Vulcan
pushed all his hurts to bring out rage
accusing him of desecrating the memory
of all the true Vulcans lying dead before age
He attacked Spock's honor, integrity, courage
called him a coward and spat on the grave
of his mother, his house, and all his lost people
And Spock in his grief was forced to engage
Together on board they found a cure hypo
which would not compel others to face
the horror of Nero screaming inside them
and live life for death, for vengeance, for hate,
the horror of Khan resigned to grim warfare
and crush with bare hands the enemy's face
When Jim woke he felt Spock's hand gently touching
his fingers where once they were separate
by the locked door and window, by death and by dying
by longing to speak, to communicate
words stuck in throat stuck in heart stretching fingers
that life must be more than death and escape
that life must be more than dread sorrow and danger
that life must be, let life be our fate.