Hey, folks.

A few years ago I read one of Bradbury's poems--perhaps it was about the moon--and I haven't seen it anywhere since then. I believe it was an argument for space travel. I found it in Omni or one of the other "slicks." I know this isn't much to go on, but if nothing else, it gives you guys something with which to test your grasp of Bradbury trivia.

Thanks!

Thanks to Mr. Frank Palumbo for his timely response to my query. Please consult Omni of April 2000--at least I think this is the year; Frank, you might correct me on this.

The poem is reprinted here for your reading pleasure. However, the first few words of the poem are still among the missing, so if you would all please consult your Omni magazines, we can complete the poem.

... ... seen the stars,
Not one, not one
Of all the creatures on this world
In all the ages since the sands
First touched the wind,
Not one, not one,
No beast of all the beasts has stood
On meadowland or plain or hill
And known the thrill of looking at those fires.
Our soul admires what they,
Oh, they, have never known.
Five billion years have flown
In turnings of the spheres,
But not once in all those years
Has lion, dog, or bird that sweeps the air
Looked there, oh, look. Looked there.
Ah, God, the stars. Oh, look, there!

It is as if all time had never been,
Nor Universe or Sun or Moon
Or simple morning light.
Those beasts, their tragedy was mute and blind,
And so remains. Our sight?
Yes, ours? to know now what we are.

But think of it, then choose. Now, which?
Born to raw Earth, inhabiting a scene,
And all of it no sooner viewed, erased,
As if these miracles had never been?
Vast circlings of sounding fire and frost,
And all when focused, what? as quickly lost?

Or us, in fragile flesh, with God's new eyes
That lift and comprehend and search the skies?
We watch the seasons drifting in the lunar tide
And know the years, remembering what's died.

Date of printing of the poem in OMNI magazine was April, 1980 (pg. 90).

No problem. I think I have the old Omni magazine as well, but the poem was printed in The Complete poems of Ray Bradbury (Ballantine/Del Rey, 1982, p. 79). The missing part goes:

THEY HAVE NOT SEEN THE STARS

They have not seen the stars,
Not one, not one
Of all the creatures on this world ...
etc.

There's another stanza with about twenty lines after the above quote, as well.