Permission to Come Aboard

You don’t just buy a ticket to come in.
Reaching out is not enough,
Lending a hand is nice, but no,
Easy come, easy go.

No, you have to ask to come aboard,
Ready to step onto the ship and go for a ride.
But to do that,
they must lower their shields,
and disarm their weaponry
long enough to beam you aboard.

They must know that you have not come to
invade or take over, but simply
to ride with them through the galaxy
that is their life.

“Allow me to take you on the tour,
To the bridge where no course is plotted.
To the engine room where you can listen
to the sparking circuitry of disconnection,
To the bunk rooms of sleepless nights.
The rec room, not so well-used,
the work out room, I really should …,
the cafeteria, that’s off limits.”

You never know what you’ll find when you materialize on that platform.
Who will greet you or where you’ll go.
There’s every chance you’ll be lost,
be held captive or fail to find your way home.
But the privilege of welcome, is a risk worth taking.

Permission granted,
Life’s most precious trust.