In childhood all his playtime was devoted to technology.
Equipped with phone and I-pad, he delved into his toys,
Spent hours with his Kano Kit in cybernetic reality,
Adored his Ozobot, Gizmos and Gadgets and Cubetto.
Smart numbers taught arithmetic, smart letters taught him how to read,
As he grew up, it also grew, this love for man-made wizardry.
He had the smartest phone, the smartest house, the smartest car.
He loved his robot dog, a loyal friend without the fleas.
He even had a robot maid, Alexa, at his beck and call.
Still it wasn't nearly enough, his sight was set on galaxies.
His passion now the Milky Way, he aimed to be an astronaut.
He studied astrophysics and the science of cosmology.
Now his toys were cameras, spectrometers and telescopes.
His virtual friends the rangers, the rovers and the robonauts.
Ironic as it seems these newfound friends stood in his way.
They proved to be fierce rivals in the bid for exploration.
The newer programs all designed for unmanned navigation.
More cost efficient, lightweight and less vulnerable to heat and cold.
Radiation posed no threat, no need for air or H2O,
Especially made to brave the trip to Jupiter or Mars.
Earthbound he relied upon the telescopes to scan
The insurmountable light years, a distance much too far.
Engineering lagged behind the pilgrimage he held so dear,
To Sagittarius A*, a journey he could not withstand.
Technology made headway, though he waited many years.
Then finally came the quantum leap to expedite his plans.
Those parsecs could be crossed, adaptations could be done.
A voyage manned by him alone, the timing providential.
The Milky Way colliding with Andromeda had begun.
At takeoff he recited words to give him more assurance,
A prayer to lord technology: 'Allow me just this once
To witness the explosion, the ultimate accretion.'
Traveling to the inner reaches, far beyond the asteroid belt,
His solar system left behind, his dream brought to completion.
He focused on the raven hole, camouflaged in mystery.
He saw it as the pupil of a massive, watchful eye
Intent on his approach as he stepped outside, floating free,
Equipped with jet pack power to send him safely home.
He ventured closer, savoring the real-time tangibility,
No telescope, no satellite, he saw it on his own.
His goal had been the darkness. Now he saw things differently.
Flowing waves of myriad dots, each one a luminous sun,
Converging like two acrobats, the juxtaposing galaxies.
Infinity of stars merging toward one cavernous domain,
All the light absorbed into a supermassive maw.
Spiral arms encircling, embracing in a rosette frame.
The orange red of dragon fire spewing in their trail.
Whirling dust and gases, the whiplash of Tiamat's tail.
No star wars to be seen, just interweaving harmony.
He felt the tidal forces, the pull of love, of gravity.
Approaching now the outer rim he heard a call from deep inside:
Seek no more, you've come upon the imperishable domain.
The Cosmos holds no other Lord, My sovereignty abides.
Relinquish your pursuit, all further quests will be in vain.