On February 1st 2003 the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated upon re-entry. I watched it happen on live T.V. (in between rounds at a chess tournament of all places) and years later, wrote this in tribute.
lyrics
Lyrics:
Streamers are strung, the party’s been planned,
family and friends, reporters and fans,
all come to see, Columbia fly,
the little white dot, enter the sky.
I enter the hall, another round down,
out came a call, a spectacle sound,
a little black box, on a little brown case,
and the the little white dot etched on everyone’s face.
And softly I cry, the wind blows, the angels,
I watch as they die, the white dot small implodes,
the newscaster drags on the crime that I felt,
one round to go but the checkmate’s already been dealt,
the checkmate's already been dealt.
The sun shines bright on a cold and dark hour,
but i cant take my eyes off the meteor shower.
i thought to myself, if I could fly,
would i break and burn as I entered the sky?
And slowly I realize I’m helpless to act,
I can't save their lives, I can't hold them back.
A life that has nothing to do with me,
can't stop me from staggering in the debris.
Streamers torn down, left with a pale stain,
thoughts leave my mind, seven remain.
My knees hit the floor as the flames crease the sky,
then break down and weep, as Columbia dies.
Forged Artifacts announce the sophomore release, available on limited gold cassette, from lo-fi Portlander Alexei Shishkin. Bandcamp New & Notable Jan 12, 2016