Friday, November 21, 2008

The Crime and the Glory of Commander Suzdal



There's a cat on the moon
with a flaming sword. He turns back our ships
keeps us pent on this planet.

We are the enemies of mankind
(and we mourn man)
and the enemies of cats.

We are the sirens of space
(and we mourn man)
and the outcasts of earth.

The cats on the moon
harry us. Harry us.
We search for a way out
a way back
a way in
but the angels with flaming swords
block us at every turn
(and we mourn man).
We are prisoners on a planet
under a sky full of cats.

The Crime and the Glory of Commander Suzdal is a short story by Cordwainer Smith. This image by Rick Mobbs reminded me of it.

Collection available! Knocking from Inside

1 comment:

SergioKa said...

That short story by Cordwainer Smith it's one of my best-liked ones of all science fiction, and literature in general; and your poem is beautiful, really a great tribute to it. Thanks a lot for posting it!