After grief, there is hunger
an unseen marvel that
you can love strange new places
you can laugh without wrack
you can crave foods you have never
thought were flavors or dishes
you can see things without
aching bitter hard wishes
so the Enterprise found
itself docked at a world
with a culture vivacious
like a treasure, a pearl
whose people embraced them
and shared all their sights
of dance, music, sculpture
cuisine, spirits, vice
vices like skiing
a little too fast
hang gliding above
a high mountain tract
vices like lazing
to read all the stacked
books or like watching
the rain light diffract
vices like swimming
in freshwater lakes
then make love all night
and again the next day
the vice of concerting
of working with clay
of drinking good liquor
of taking a break
from the hard work their labors
demanded and tolled
from their determined searching
to find something, keep hold
of each other, of purpose
to not break apart
to keep close together
to preserve their dark heart
grief might be their center
where everything starts
but life is their extra
that meaning imparts
so they woke, found their hunger
for good food and good art
let the crises and duties
on this day rest, depart.
Perhaps not a mission
but shore leave instead
that afforded them luxury
they'd forgotten and shed
restored to them now
in this moment right when
their hunger awakened:
let the eating begin.
Sulu enjoyed their
wakeboarding and sushi
he ate ramen noodles
and drank hot plum sake.
Chekhov he rode
the train for three days
through snow plain like Sibir
recalling past childhood days.
Scotty and Keenser
hit the pubs, sampled pies
got in a barfight
comparing warp engine size.
Christine and Carol
treated themselves to a spa
with hot rocks, massages
cold drinks with green straws.
Madeleine wandered through
the bazaars of the streets
buying too many things
for surprisingly cheap.
0718 and Darwin
rented sailboat and launched
themselves to the ocean
and tested their luck.
Bones picked an old city
and found the stone graves
inscribed with ink paper
and pine needles shaved.
Nyota went to rainforest
with a guide to see birds
she caught glimpses of monkeys
and leopards overheard.
Spock and Jim, they found
a house near a park
they walked hand in hand
every day before dark.
When they all came back
they were ready to work
stronger as a team
their confidence in Kirk
and in each other
in themselves
and somehow the world
that things might get shitty
and things might fall apart
heartlife might be broken
without a way to restart
but that didn't matter
because now is right now
they were hungry to be
and life gave them chow.