Poems of the Week

Living on Mars in a Lava Tube

by Nina Parmenter

Scientists are investigating the ancient lava tubes of Mars as a “safe” place for human habitation.
Theoretically these vast underground caverns would provide sufficient protection from radiation
for a settlement to be viable.

Living on Mars in a lava tube?
What fun, my dears, what fun!
We’ll surf on the flows, and then maybe—who knows—
we will gather when day is done
to remember the sea and the sun.

Living on Mars in a lava tube—
no actual lava, you say?
Just vacuum and dust in the cold of the crust
and the dark? Still, a great place to stay
as we cower from cancer all day.

Living on Mars in a lava tube—
it’s so smashing to know that we could!
If we poison our sky—never mind! We’ll just fly
to this welcoming new neighborhood.
Hooray! It’s a plan then. Sounds good.