ADVENT HORIZON
'Stay on the map,' my Mum said
She never lets me go far
'Make sure you stay in this galaxy
Don't go searching for stars.'
'Don't speak to any aliens
Or you won't be a boy, you'll be lunch.
Don't land on any white dwarf suns
I can't have you burned to a crunch'
'And NEVER go near a black hole
I want you to stay kiddy-shaped
Not stretched and pulled out like a sausage
As thin as a piece of tape.'
So why didn't I take any notice?
Why was I sure Mum was wrong?
If only I'd done what my mum said
I wouldn't be twenty miles long!

this was meant to be the poem