[Illustration: “Dreamcatcher” © 2007 by D'Wayne Murphy.] When Cassie sat on the rooftop of her house Late one night and looked up Into outer space, She wanted nothing more Than to see a shooting star Just so she could make a wish. But, she wondered, does anyone on Earth Know what these messengers are, Or … Continue reading “Dreamcatcher” by Aaron J. Berg →

Illustration: “Genghis in Space” © 2007 by Romeo Esparrago time dilation we sail headlong towards distant stars blinking at us-- like sirens their cosmic call everywhere at once apparently but the light left so long ago we would be late even if we could eventually arrive there in vestigial time exhausted by the trip & … Continue reading Two Poems by Ed Higgins →

[Illustration: “Natsuko” © 2006 by Romeo Esparrago.] Spatters of pure oxygen Poisoning us, bubble-hard Then comes the sweep cycle --methane never smelled so good * About the Author: Arun Ahuja is a science fiction writer with an MS in biomedical engineering. His piece "Pomposity Penalized" won Editor's Pick in the University of New Mexico's magazine. … Continue reading “Gas Planet” by Arun Ahuja →

[Illustration: “Lava Raft” © 2006 by Romeo Esparrago.] 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 … Continue reading “The Midnight Carney” by Michael Jay Katz →

[Illustration: “Cycle Duels” © 2006 by Romeo Esparrago.] 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 … Continue reading “High Jump Willie” by s.c. virtes →

Illustration: “Space Artsyfact” © 2005 by Romeo Esparrago 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 … Continue reading “First Dawn” by Jason Maxwell →

Illustration: “The Meeting” © 2005 by Romeo Esparrago The accursed time traveler,Swept up and set down in a vortex,Finds himself in the future whereMen look like womenAnd women look like men,Or perhaps they lookLike neither.Seeing they have no eyes to seeAnd no mouth with which to speak,He panics at the sight of theirFeatureless faces and … Continue reading “Vagabondage” by Ray Sikes →

Illustration: “Huh” © 2005 by Romeo Esparrago. 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 … Continue reading “Universal Chords” by Don Mowbray →

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 Autumn afternoon all around the playground tiny droids in line Halloween at the gate of the starship virtual children * … Continue reading “Autumn Haiku in the Year 2278” by Anjali Chandi →