It was a leap to the heavens, followed by the inevitable, fatal crash back to reality. There was a Tweet, a chance at immortality in 140 characters or less, it had been re-tweeted by someone, so there is no way to know how long it had been bouncing around in the “tweet-o-sphere” (OK, there probably is a way, but it would require more effort than someone who has just had his dreams smashed against the jagged, unforgiving rocks of reality should be asked to give).
“Send your name and message to Mars,” it said, “Wow, that would be so cool, my name and my message on Mars. It took seconds to click on that link. It was from the University of Colorado, at Boulder, and they are participating in the “Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission” MAVEN for short, of course. It really is quite a name, and a catchy acronym makes anything more tempting. An opportunity to send a message and your name to Mars doesn’t come up often. (Let me know if I am wrong about that, please, maybe Mars has so many names and messages it looks like a subway wall, covered in graffiti).
Now for the bad bit, it has to be a haiku. Honestly, Martians like haiku that much? Poetry as a form of communication, it seems a little doubtful, but a form of poetry that is potentially 1400 years old, and has so many rules and nuances as to be almost impossible, and doesn’t even rhyme, well that just seems silly. Can Martians really appreciate the imagery that a person needs to cram into 17 syllables? Well, one can only hope the University of Colorado at Boulder knows what they are asking.
Spending quite a while crafting and editing and re-writing, and just in general nuance the heck right out of a haiku, at last, there was a perfect poem. Of course, it had to be about Mars, what would Martians know of a:
“bird walking on air
with delicate white above
green life waits below”
Or anything like that. It was written and submitted, and then all that needed to be done was wait for the love and gratitude of Martians everywhere, as they sobbed quietly at the beauty of a Martian haiku masterpiece. “Submit” and wait, and wait, and then go get some coffee, and wait some more.
WHAT? It didn’t upload?!! Robbery, and now it disappeared! And, trust this, it was so wonderful it can never be recreated. Ah, the poor Martians will never know what they missed.
Here is the link if you want to try, but don’t get your hopes up.
http://lasp.colorado.edu/maven/goingtomars/
—
The Good Men Project is different from most media companies. We are a “participatory media company”—which means we don’t just have content you read and share and comment on but it means we have multiple ways you can actively be a part of the conversation. As you become a deeper part of the conversation—The Conversation No One Else is Having—you will learn all of the ways we support our Writers’ Community—community FB groups, weekly conference calls, classes in writing, editing platform building and How to Create Social Change.
◊♦◊
Here are more ways to become a part of The Good Men Project community:
Request to join our private Facebook Group for Writers—it’s like our virtual newsroom where you connect with editors and other writers about issues and ideas.
Click here to become a Premium Member of The Good Men Project Community. Have access to these benefits:
- Get access to an exclusive “Members Only” Group on Facebook
- Join our Social Interest Groups—weekly calls about topics of interest in today’s world
- View the website with no ads
- Get free access to classes, workshops, and exclusive events
- Be invited to an exclusive weekly “Call with the Publisher” with other Premium Members
- Commenting badge.
Are you stuck on what to write? Sign up for our Writing Prompts emails, you’ll get ideas directly from our editors every Monday and Thursday. If you already have a final draft, then click below to send your post through our submission system.
If you are already working with an editor at GMP, please be sure to name that person. If you are not currently working with a GMP editor, one will be assigned to you.
◊♦◊
Are you a first-time contributor to The Good Men Project? Submit here:
◊♦◊
Have you contributed before and have a Submittable account? Use our Quick Submit link here:
◊♦◊
Do you have previously published work that you would like to syndicate on The Good Men Project? Click here:
Join our exclusive weekly “Call with the Publisher” — where community members are encouraged to discuss the issues of the week, get story ideas, meet other members and get known for their ideas? To get the call-in information, either join as a member or wait until you get a post published with us. Here are some examples of what we talk about on the calls.
Want to learn practical skills about how to be a better Writer, Editor or Platform Builder? Want to be a Rising Star in Media? Want to learn how to Create Social Change? We have classes in all of those areas.
While you’re at it, get connected with our social media:
- To join our Facebook Page, go here.
- To sign up for our email newsletter, go here.
- To follow The Good Men Project on Twitter, go here.
◊♦◊
However, you engage with The Good Men Project—you can help lead this conversation about the changing roles of men in the 21st century. Join us!
◊♦◊
We have pioneered the largest worldwide conversation about what it means to be a good man in the 21st century. Your support of our work is inspiring and invaluable.
The Good Men Project is an Amazon.com affiliate. If you shop via THIS LINK, we will get a small commission and you will be supporting our Mission while still getting the quality products you would have purchased, anyway! Thank you for your continued support!
—
Originally published on Life, Explained
—