Lauren McBride
A Planet’s Complaint
My land
was perfectly
dry and barren until
contaminating asteroids
blasted
into
my atmosphere
hurling water ice and
organics that slowly dispersed
across
bare rock
covering my
surface with oceans and
life, multiplying sickly wet
and green.
_____________
Lauren McBride finds inspiration in faith, family, nature, science and membership in the SFPA. Nominated for the Best of the Net, Rhysling and Dwarf Stars Awards, her poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in dozens of publications including Asimov’s, Fantasy & Science Fiction, and Silver Blade. She enjoys swimming, gardening, baking, reading, writing and knitting scarves for troops.
Author’s Comments/Backstory: “‘A Planet’s Complaint’ began with thoughts about infection, which I wanted to extend to something unusual. Somehow, algae covered rocks came to mind, and from there a grouchy planet displeased about the contamination of life, presented as a series of three cinquains.”
Editor’s Notes: Image credit: Earth from space (getwallpapers.com).
