When we hear signals beamed back from Mars rover Curiosity’s landing next week, it will be poetry to the ears of mission scientists. We decided to get in the mood by writing some Mars poems. 

This week our communications team is enjoying the company of Harry, our 16-year-old work experience guy. Harry wants to be a science writer, so he’s been in training by writing (and counting syllables in) haikus, limericks and tankas.

Here’s a selection of Harry’s planetary poetry. Let us know which one is your favourite, or send us a haiku of your own. Props to @girlcallederin, @crystalsinger and @yourtutor who have already sent us a Mars haiku on Twitter today. Go Curiosity!

 

Team Haiku

As I touch the Martian surface

I lookout across the monotonous landscape

“Curiosity has landed”

– – – –

Here we go, we have lifted off!

All systems are go, approaching destination

The rover has landed safely

 

Team Tanka

The sweet sweet skycrane

Lowering NASA’s precious

Now…Three, two, one, drop!

Released into dunes of dust

She’s off to start her mission!

– – – –

I am not human

Nor am I a living thing

I am a robot

Ready for my space mission

To explore the realms of Mars

– – – –

Flying through the air

Twenty thousand k’s an hour

Far away from Earth

Towards a small dusty rock

We call Mars, is our hope

 

Team Limerick 

‘Curiosity’, the NASA space robot

Built to explore the little red dot

He took off in November

Last year, remember

Landing in August, discovering what?

– – – –

Curiosity’s planet to explore

Was the Roman god of War

It’s mostly CO₂

With a surface opposite to glue

And has a liquid iron core!