XII. Homeward Calculations

All the long and lightless way home
through the vaccum-packed trackless space and time between the stars
they nubbined their pencils to little stubs, used up
the crayons, the chalk, soap on the mirrors
until there was nothing left to draw or figure with
save the mind's eye
telling and talking, scratching heads, pacing, waving their arms
saying Rats!--until first Mort, then Nort or Nort before Mort
drummed his knees and cried AHA!
hoots, forehead slaps, and
Of course!
Why didn't we think of that!
Laughing they tango and polka,
lost and found camps
lost and found surveyors!
posed and solved problems!
and the special meaning of circumnavigate
on this planet.