[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 11768-11769]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 IN HONOR OF THE ``ATLANTIS'' AND THE SHUTTLE PROGRAMS' FINAL MISSION: 
        THE ATLANTIS STS-135--FERGUSON--HURLEY--MAGNUS--WALHEIM

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. PETE OLSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 21, 2011

  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following:

     Atlantis . . . Hail Atlantis! This, final thrust . . . This 
           The Shuttle's Final Mission, so as such!
     Five . . . Four . . . Three . . . Two . . . One . . . 
           Ignition . . . lift off!
     As up towards the heavens you now so rush!
     As on this day as is such . . . with this your last and most 
           final journey, all our hearts but lie in a hush! As 
           from The Beginning . . . now to The End!
     Oh how so quickly, we've all so been taken to so then . . . 
           To such new heights we've all so sped!
     So shuttled to back and forth, time and again!
     And because of all of this, to what new world's will we one 
           day so transcend?
     All because of The Discovery's, The Endeavor's . . . that 
           went forth all in your stead!
     As The Challenger, who so met and held that course!
     To new Columbia's, with your most heroic force! All in your 
           most heroic blood so shed!
     As to lost worlds discovering, and to new ones Atlantis you 
           now report!
     Let this Enterprise so continue to go forth!
     Of all of these most distant travelers, all out on their most 
           heroic course!
     And let not this quest so end!

     All in our search for the answers, the truth that we all must 
           so comprehend!
     Let Us Go Forth, all in our hearts of youth begin!
     And for all of those many journey's, over all of those years.
     As have so here, to Man and Womankind meant so much!

[[Page 11769]]

     While, out upon the face of God you've all so stared! So 
           sped!
     All out there on the very edge of death, hurdling through 
           space as you left!
     As your fine hearts would so crest!
     And because of all its majestic beauty, all in tears you were 
           so left!
     As with this final thrust, suddenly how all of those years 
           have so come and gone!
     By so fast, so sped!
     To find answers, to all of those questions . . . to which all 
           our hearts must so be led!
     While, soaring to new heights . . . as you'd crest!
     As you've appeared to us so very bright, all in what was 
           said!
     As out on the night's horizon, streaking across her skies at 
           dusk in flight . . . full speed ahead!
     With all our hopes and dreams, and fears . . . so carried 
           with you up there, as one we were wed!

     As together, we've all so waded through . . . through all of 
           those most heartbroken tears!
     With all of those broken hearts and dreams, that which so 
           tragically appeared . . .
     With but the loss of, all of those most magnificent 
           courageous pioneers!
     As but exploration's grave cost so very clear!
     Of The Challenger and The Columbia so here!
     With all of those fine lives so lost so very dear! SMITH, 
           SCOBEE, McNAIR, ONIZUKA, McAULIFFE, JARVIS, RESNIK, 
           BROWN, HUSBAND, CLARK, CHAWLA, ANDERSON, McCOOL, RAMON 
           . . .
     Brave Hearts, all out in their search for new frontiers!
     Who so boldly so went forth without fear!
     As for them and their families, but hear our Nation's prayers 
           . . . her tears!
     As now all of their fine souls are so etched across the 
           heavens, appear's!
     As a lesson to all of our young, as to what new heights and 
           worlds . . .
     A heart of courage can so climb to, can so come!

     As on this day Atlantis, as you So Search For The Truth! All 
           in your hearts of youth, so sung!
     While, Reaching For The Stars . . . soaring ever forth, as 
           brilliant, as brilliant as any sun!
     All in your quest for knowledge, but Let This Dream Live On!
     Let not this be the end, but the beginning of new dreams and 
           suns to form!
     As on this Mission, The Shuttle Program so comes to her end!
     Let us give praise and thanks, to all of those who have so 
           shown!
     So shown us all the way to courage and faith,
     whose most magnificent hearts have so carried us with them on 
           their ways . . .
     Who once upon a time, let their dreams take flight to new 
           heights . . . as did they!
     And go, where no women or man before has so gone!
     Who upon all of them, all our very futures are so born!
     While, upon such magnificent structures of Man . . . to new 
           heights they would soar!
     All because of their most courageous hearts telling them, To 
           Go Forth and Explore!
     As up to the heavens, and outer space defying death again 
           once more so spoken all with such grace!
     To take Command, as now they so race!
     And to all those, who upon this earth who have stood by them 
           so close!

     Who at Mission Control,
     have so shown such brilliance and such vigilance, when it all 
           so meant the most!
     As The Centurions, The Guardians,
     of all of those distant travelers up in outer space, who 
           counted upon you, would boast!
     Living with them, on the very edge of death as you would host 
           . . .
     As on each new day, all of their very lives were placed!
     All in what they so faced!
     Let not this so be the ending, but the beginning . . . but to 
           keep so sending!
     To so sending up explorers to new worlds, up in outer space!
     To a world of hopes and dreams, where such hearts of youth 
           can so race . . .
     Can so plan and scheme . . . Like JFK's Dream, this pace!
     But, to continue this most important race! And Go Forth!
     But to find the answers, to new celestial worlds as we are 
           advancing . . .
     As already, from all of their gifts, so much has so come 
           forth, exists!
     And yet, so much more but still lies ahead . . .

     all in our travels up in outer space, all in what is to be 
           written . . . so said!
     For only if we go forward steadfast, will all of our futures 
           so be blessed, as come to pass!
     So Hail Atlantis, as you take that one last pass . . . around 
           this earth . . .
     Take one last long hard look, one last long glance all in its 
           worth!
     For all of us here so down upon this earth, as you pass! So, 
           ever must we Endeavor to Discovery!
     To find in you Atlantis, new worlds to explore and see!
     So Godspeed! Godspeed, fair well Atlantis as you speed!
     As you and your kind, are but the very height to where Man 
           and Womankind can so be led!
     Because, whenever we ENDEAVOR . . . in our ENTERPRISE to 
           entertain such thoughts . . .
     To rise! All in our DISCOVERY, from hearts of courage what 
           can be brought forth . . .
     No matter what the cost, and not compromise!
     To new worlds and lost shores, to chart our course evermore . 
           . . to new COLUMBIA'S this force . . . or an ATLANTIS 
           to so explore!
     Then, will we win as THE CHALLENGER! And to this our world, 
           but all of our futures to so insure!
     To learn and to grow, to therein there so . . . but to fine 
           the answerers!

     Of The Universe, to so strive for and know! All bathed in 
           exploration's warm glow!
     That which lies before us so!
     Hail Atlantis!
     Hail Atlantis!
     Hail Atlantis!
     As You Soar! As You Go!

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