a 24th century reflection on emptiness

we are alone

every world we visit
every system 
lies empty

the universe is a mirror
reflecting back on us
or nothing

each rock barren
no ancient ruins to be discovered
but our own
no life more complex
than what we released
on our last visit

even the bird-men
of Vega IV
just wear masks
use nanomachines that grow feathers
and take pills
for motion-sickness

our lives extend
longer than Adam
we search for newness
and find only humanity
changing
unchanged

the universe is alone

did it give birth to us
to fill its emptiness
with eyes to see
that there was nothing to see
or did we create it
to fit us 
to fill eternity
with exploration