In some they are confused by war depicted in movies (“Enemy Mine”) and in others they cheer for women boxers, betting tickets in hand and weapons at their sides (“Posturing”).

The Martians are uncertain about war in the collection, whose mostly narrative poems change the rules from one set of stanzas to the next. The Martians serve as a lens through which American, or broader human, culture is critiqued and explored. They may stand in for nonconformity, for incomprehension, or for uneasy sensuality, as shown in this piece of “Stranger Still:” They range from unusual pets to uneasy invader to metaphors casting light on humanity’s foibles. The presence of the Martians uncovered a deep unease about humanity’s own place in the solar system, as revealed in this gem from “Creed: The Mission:”Īlmost every poem juxtaposes everyday life with the extraterrestrial, involving the Martians in some way. From their appearances at Girl Scout camps to wedding planners to quaint museum pieces, the Martians serve as an alien viewpoint on its all with alien black eyes. The red planet and its green inhabitants loom large throughout the collection, the mention of that closest remaining frontier sparking ruminations on Earth as seen in its rust-colored shadow. The poems feature stylistic variation, with most freeverse, varying in stanza length, with a prose poem or two thrown in for spice. Most of the poems begin with an epigraph, the majority a quotation from a renowned SF author, famous scientist, or other piece of art involving Mars, with Wells and Hubbard leading the pack for number of mentions. Rather than drift with the Martians between the stars and planets, Wiseman instead depicts them as stumbling into our backyard, full of questions. Almost every one of the more than 40 poems mentions, examines, or depicts the activities of the small green aliens against a backdrop of typical American society. Laura Madeline Wiseman’s collection American Galactic explores an Earth teeming with Martians behind every corner. American Galactic by Laura Madeline Wiseman.

The Bloody Tide by Jane Yolen