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Time-crossed Lovers

Rocket ships were crossing paths at near the speed of light;
solo voyagers, boy and girl, both escapees in flight.
Brushing past, each looked within the others inner space,
pensive faces noted shipboard clocks' unequal pace.

Seemed as if each others time ran slower than their own,
pressing home how destiny had cast them off alone.
Knowing how inertial frames are relatively cast,
yet it felt as if their lives were disappearing fast.

Destinations calculated, to the heavens hurled;
onboard navigation systems, led to chosen worlds.
Ah, but love had other plans and interfered with fate;
he prepared to turn his ship while she slowed down to wait.

Recklessly, he risked the hull to brake and alter course;
months it took, with heavy strain, deceleration's force.
Further months to trace her path and match her slackened speed,
driven by an overwhelming solitary need.

Travelling apace, he docked and breached the airlock rim;
inside atmosphere was cold and one light flickered dim.
Every sense was tensed with fear, but persevere he must;
there he found her, ever patient, waiting, bones and dust.

Changing frames of reference fixed his time to deathly slow,
so she died from many years of waiting for her beau.
Special relativity is fair enough, but then,
general relativity demands one think again.

poem by Diane Hine
Added by Poetry Lover
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