A press release from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration dated July 6, 1969 reads, “The United States will launch a three-man spacecraft toward the Moon on July 16 with the goal of landing two astronaut-explorers on the lunar surface four days later. If the mission—called Apollo 11—is successful, man will accomplish his long-time dream of walking on another celestial body.” On July 20, the nation celebrates 50 years since accomplishing this task and making history!

The Periwinkle Foundation celebrates this milestone across greater Houston, recognizing the incredible community of healing in Space City, by sharing selections from The Splendid Review about space and the moon. Make It a Splendid Week!

My Story

The night sky
is black.
The yellow stars fly
and twinkle
in the sky.
The moon finds the stars
and meets them
to find stories.
 
Pedro, age 5

Space Princess

Once upon a time, there was a princess locked away in her kingdom, behind the walls. She had always wanted to adventure and find rabbits, like the ones who always came in when she was looking around and over the walls. This night just so happened to be a snowy night, and the moon was already out. She wondered, “What would happen if I ever left for a little while? Would anyone notice? Or could I go find the bunnies?” She got excited. She was going to do it! She was going to leave the palace for a little while to go find rabbits. Before she left, though, the tree started talking and asked her why she wanted to leave. She said she wanted to find the rabbits.
The tree said, “Why?”
She said, “I don’t know?”
He said, “Why don’t you be like me, stuck inside the castle walls not able to move?”
She said, “Because that is not how the bunnies work. They hop around freely.”
Then he said, “Why would you want to be like a rabbit?”
She said, “I don’t know. They seem so free and lively.”
He said, “What about the moon?”
She looked at the moon and realized that it looked more happy and
carefree than some bunnies did. So she started to think. Why not! Her biggest goal in life after that was to one day travel to the moon.
 
Kaylee, age 13

The Secret

The secret is inside.

Laughter is where

the stars are elegant.

Ice drips from the sky.

The big, white moon

breathes slowly

on a cold winter

morning.

Rithika, age 11

This entry is a part of our series “Make it a Splendid Week”! Follow along weekly to enjoy excerpts from The Splendid Review, an anthology of poems, short stories and autobiographies written by talented young writers engaged in the Periwinkle Arts In Medicine Program at Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers.