It’s two for a dollar the Whirlie-Warp ride just past the Fun House through the white gate climb the wood tower slide into the tunnel and disintegrate to cosmic scintillas a boreal glow in Devonian skies a sparklet of moonrise in dinosaur eyes a night planet's wink at the prayer of a Sikh aswirl through … Continue reading “The Midnight Carney” by Michael Jay Katz
A famous stunt man tried to leap a lunar chasm on an old-fashioned dirt bike. The media swarmed in gave him top-billing in the gap between two reality shows. They followed him halfway to orbit before getting bored and airing some space-rugby reruns. He was last seen passing ComSat7 in a weird orbit destined for … Continue reading “High Jump Willie” by s.c. virtes
I clunked down steps in an eerie alien-twilight world. Deadly mist licked tenuously at my suit, Long fingers, searching fingers, An old world beckons. I stepped down into its arms. Dust rose from First Hesitant Contact with the damned place. But the world timidly opened its eyes The mountains loomed – desperately baring the binary … Continue reading “First Dawn” by Jason Maxwell
The accursed time traveler, Swept up and set down in a vortex, Finds himself in the future where Men look like women And women look like men, Or perhaps they look Like neither. Seeing they have no eyes to see And no mouth with which to speak, He panics at the sight of their Featureless … Continue reading “Vagabondage” by Ray Sikes
Professor Anderson relentlessly scanned the skies Searching tirelessly for that elusive prize Of a signal with subtle hints of intelligence Plucked from the universe's chaotic cadence With the aid of a waning SETI stipend Anderson poured over bits and bytes without end But one day from Arecibo's exalted telescope He discovered a curious sample that … Continue reading “Universal Chords” by Don Mowbray
[Illustration: New illustration created for the archive; the original artwork, “Maroon Bells” © 2004 by Robert Sorensen, has been lost.] under three moons a rush of nanofireflies -- October wind leafless trees -- in the rocket’s wake a swirl of blue banana-persimmons Veterans’ cemetery -- at the markers of the space buoy nanites planting memories … Continue reading “Autumn Haiku in the Year 2278” by Anjali Chandi
our honeymoon -- Phobos and Deimos rising wagon train holograph -- I program an Indian attack gladiators the mob shouting "Human, Human!" maternity ward -- the new baby's skin glowing too sick to get up -- my clone getting ready for work scuba diving -- my buddy's webbed feet * About the Author: Tim Jamieson … Continue reading “SciFaiku” by Tim Jamieson
Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 42 (August 2004). Illustration: “Red Rocks” by Robert Sorensen we will see it allthe beginningand the end beforethe beginningand beyondto all beginningsand all endingsuntil finallywe will see itthe face of itwho/that startedall the marbles rollingthe god-awesome itsome call theawesome god of allmaybe/maybe notfor it is what it isunchanging until … Continue reading Through the 100 Meter Lens, by Allen Itz
Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 42 (August 2004). Illustration: “Marz” by Nas A. Glass Ancient seas call meacross a sand-blasted plain,across forever. Ghost-water storm-surgedrowns memories of beaches --transcendent waves crash. Lit by distant sun,from a cold and empty sky,red grit sifts as rain. Poem copyright 2004 by Nancy Wilcox Artwork © 2004 by Nas … Continue reading Martian Dreams, by Nancy Wilcox
Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 42 (August 2004). Illustration: “Red Mountain” by Robert Sorensen I dropped lasagna on my sockWho knows what this could spellConsequences flip by--circles of Hell andmelted ice cream trucks--like the numbers on a deprecated clock The jolly tinny jingle fades into a distant crashFrom a human energy unit brokendown to … Continue reading Cosmic Lasagna, by Sam Kenyon
