BARBED

BARBED

Martians had landed
were disintegrating
every one
and everything
left, right
and centre,

the radio told us,
warned us
   was very clear
on this. broadcasting
every horrific detail

we ran
for our lives
all the five boroughs,
evacuated the city

except
the stoical, smart few,
aficionados of
one or both
    of Orson and Herbert
those unspeakable twins
in everything
but blood, though, well,
their surnames
spelled out that affinity

and there they were, those
apocalyptic sci fi diehards,
desperate
      to get a glimpse at
a tripod, if  not
an extended peek or
even guided tour
of the, cockpit

which might
just have shocked them,
seriously subverted
their assunptions

to find
these hideous, monstrous
creatures,
    having an
affable, charming side,
with poetry and
painting, culture, architecture,
religion

as alien as us
on the outside, and the inside,
as human
as us too

like us
     spreading their humanity
in their worst
possible
     most human way.