Illustration by Robert Grossman

To the aliens who descended
in a shower of light particles
that assembled at last into shapes
familiar from docudramas

tabloids at checkout stations
and other reliable sources
with the wide childlike eyes and face
narrowing on its way to the chin

clean shaven hairless as a scalded
chihuahua and given to wearing
highnecked tunic shirts to conceal
the absence of an Adam’s apple

yes you there hovering
overhead with your brights on:
I refuse to accept your credentials!
Who do you think you are more alien than?

We have a man at the wheel down here
who’s doing eighty-five in reverse
He’s steering by the rearview mirror
and pays no attention to Stop signs

Yield? Why on earth should he when God
is his co-pilot and this is His country?
Nothing alien is alien to us.
You should get yourselves naturalized.