Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Aliens

for Luigi Vendittelli

      

I come from another galaxy,

 wear electric flesh that negotiates air, learns water: 

When I say “I” don’t imagine a face, or a name, don’t imagine something 

temporary or separate, oh and btw, the craft are real, especially when spotted hovering over 

nuclear installations, the small, ageless greys with big black unblinking eyes are too, and 

the warnings in melting glaciers, parched soil, bleached coral — a babble 

of languages you failed to comprehend — no, you needed 

visitations, odd probings and gov't conspiracies, 

truth and beauty were never enough.


2 comments:

Ken Stollon said...

Wow, this is crazy good! The shape! I don't recall if you have used shape as a poetic device, but I love that this poem resembles a flying saucer. And it takes a visitation from aliens to tell us the truth: that we're too damned preoccupied with aliens (and other narishkeit) to appreciate the real truth and beauty in life! Beautifully (I would go so far as to say perfectly) constructed, with great sagacity. A very wise poem.

B. Glen Rotchin said...

I'm always thinking of the shape of a poem of course. How it appears on the page, in addition to the the rhythm and enjambments. Part of the craft. But of course you know this. This poem needed to hover on the page.