THE INNOCENT ARRIVAL
85
anyone would believe you, till our boys walk home with the shirt off the Terrestrial back.”
He waved an imperious pipestem. “Hurry up and pay me, please. I’ve a date tonight with Peri. I just called her up and explained the situation, and she really does seem to like Martians.”
Poul and Karen Anderson
SJXHAIKU
The white vapor trail
Scrawls slowly on the sky Without any squeak.
Gilt and painted clouds Float back through the shining air. What, are there stars, too?
In the heavy world’s
Shadow, I watch the sputnik Coasting in sunlight.
Those crisp cucumbers Not yet planted in Syrtis How I desire one!
In the fantastic
Seas of Venus, who would dare To imagine gulls?
86
Six HAIKU
6
When Proxima sets What constellation do they Dream around our sun?
87
KAREN ANDERSON
HAIKU FOR MARS
THINK OF A MAN
I
From this neighbor hill The noonday of Mars outshines The windows of home.
II
For one who goes forth, For one who sees the tall ship Depart: two wonders.
Ill
On Syrtis, we lay Foundations for the topless Towers of Helium.
IV
I watch the dust scud Past my faceplate, and wonder: What does it smell like?
Karen Anderson
88
Think of a manand think he’s much like you
Who cups like gems in memory’s hand the
stars And maybe says: “This one that blazes blue
Shone downnear crisped me!on the Canis
wars.
I was decorated: medal and three scars. Next came this yellow, Procyon; by its light
I spent some gritty months in desert cars, Drank up my pay and hoped there’d be no fight.
“And then to Pollux; not so bright, but warm;
Just like the girl I met therecomfort, though, Can get damned dull. My dress whites were the
charm
That kept her, and I shed them; shed her so.
A merchant ticket hauled me, come and go, A dozen times round Castor and Capella.
Castor’s this green one: dazzled on the snow That slipped me up and cracked my fool patella.
“I thought I liked it dirtside; learned to gamble The one sure way to wingot paid to deal.
And that got dull. I took a little amble To this one, arc-blue Regulus, to feel Once more the thrum and urge of driven steel.
Sudden I hated day-star never changing And suns at night held all to one round wheel.
I knew for me there’d be no life but ranging.”
89
90
The Unicorn Trade
Think then of such a man, who gems his thought
With Mizar’s emerald, Vega’s diamond gleam, Arcturus’ topaz: wealth he’s fairly bought
With nothing less than heartblood. Let him
seem
Grown old, with darting eyes whose corners
teem Wrinkles to laugh like dawn or weep like dew:
Hell-tested, Heaven blest: he lives his dream.
Think such a man. And think he might be you,