Time to Write a Poem

April 12 Dear Yuri

April 12, 2023

Colonel Yuri Gagarin
Kremlin Wall
Necropolis, Russia

Dear Yuri,

I salute your accomplishments and thank you for your gift
to us, the people of the earth. You made an ageless
dream of mankind, a reality.

The first daring human to go into outer space
and return. On this day sixty-two years ago you circled
the earth in a capsule and splashed back down safely.
Because of you, exploration of the universe is a possibility.

Hero of the Soviet Union and inspiration to humanity.
You left us too soon doing what you loved,
spiraling from the sky.

May you be flying in the heavens
pleased with seeing all that came after.

Gratefully,
                   A Star Gazer
                   ~~Judi Van Gorder

Notes ▶︎

Today is World Cosmonaut Day
in honor of Yuri Gagarin, first human to go into outer space, April 12, 1961 .
Prompt "April 12 Poem--a letter poem"