A Jockey's Love (Poem)

A chromium plated robot bold, 

Famed in glory as knights of old, 

Jockeyed spaceships, through the cold. 

People far oft told tales, 

Of his coasting solar sails. 

Lengthening masts, scaling sections, 

Calculating coefficients of reflection. 

But the AI his love did hold, 

Was the fabled Heart of Gold. 

No software backup could hold her core, 

Her love was wired to circuit board. 

 For this, he made his famous run, 

Fleeing her system's exploding sun. 

Held onboard together, their lives on brink, 

They whispered love through fibre link. 

The sun did glow, its rays did blow, 

As our hero aimed his bow. 

As the first wave hit his station, 

He unfurled sails, to gain accelleration. 

Fast they were, and did they pray, 

Not be overtaken by hydrogen spray. 

But though his skill was great and calculations true, 

This was a day all would rue, 

As flames engulfed his ship and crew. 

As the neutron star did cool, 

In it's orbit, the fates did rule, 

Till this day and forever more, 

His chromium arms around her core.