The Virus

I was visiting in the purple woods

When I saw Tyrrenna near,

She seemed to be hiding behind a tree

And I said, ‘What brings you here?’

‘I’m running away from the world out there

For the portents look so grim,

Have you seen the aliens on the ridge,

I fear they’re looking for Him!’

 

I hadn’t then seen the alien ship

That had landed on the bluff,

I’d just heard rumours from time to time

About ships from space, and stuff.

‘So they’re really here at last,’ I said,

And they’ve come from outer space?’

I sat and marvelled at things unknown

And at God’s undying grace.

 

‘Has he sent a party to welcome them?’

I thought I should have been told,

I was the head of the Hundred there

But I thought, ‘He’s getting old!’

‘He sits and waits in the orange mist

With his troops, they sit in fear,

He says that we’ll have to deal with them,

It’s the wrong time of the year.’

 

I shook my head in dismay, I said:

‘Why can’t we let them be?

They probably come in peace, you know,

Why can’t we wait and see?’

‘He says they come like a virus,

They will settle and spread and grow,

And push us out to the hinterlands

To perish in deep black snow.’

 

Tyrrenna shivered, and so did I

At the thought of a dismal fate,

Perhaps we shouldn’t have let them in

Through the Milky Way Stargate,

The crops were blue in the valley lands

And the seeds were not quite ripe,

The wind would take them across the bluff

To feed their appetite.

 

I hid at the edge of the purple woods

To watch them on the bluff,

They walked around in their silver suits

With cannisters, and stuff,

They sprayed the crops in the valley

Turned the crops from blue to grey,

And all of the seeds had shrivelled up

By noon of the following day.

 

‘How did they know they were poisonous,’

My friend said, in her fear,

‘They only landed a week ago,

They’re taking over here.’

I thought to call on the Hundred but

I was too late, too slow,

The aliens sprayed the orange mist

And I knew, we’d have to go.

 

‘He’s dead, and all of his troops are gone,

That spray kills at a touch,

We’ll have to head to the hinterlands,’

Tyrrenna sobbed, was crushed.

The suits came into the purple woods

Were spraying every tree,

‘We have to get rid of this virus,’ said

A suit, and looked at me!

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[TPK Stories]

A very good story David, as always.

[Emerald Seas]

Great writing and an unusual topic for you. I like that you can still surprise me.

[Jack...]

Wow, now you have taken me on a sci-fi adventure. Is there no end to your talents and imagination? Very nice.

[A love for poetry]

oooh this was really good, I liked the ending; it made me want to look for a part two to the poem.

[Marie]

Oh my. One alway hopes that aliens will be friendly. Obviously this was on another planet. Perhaps the aliens were earthmen?

[Carolann Dowsett]

This is amazing brought great imagery to my mind, felt like a story and that humans were the bad guys.

[Silent Kim aka mizmetap..]

Wow David!! You've changed your style a bit since I've last read your work. Sci-fi!!! I love it! :lol:

[Adam Lebzo -RonninWarri..]

what a thoughtfully written poem, David!
Really!! Its very deep and powerful and i enjoyed the simple language
and as always perfect flow
this is the best you wrote this week, my personal opinion!

[Valentine]

Never thought you were into the future tales of the possibilities of space aliens..but they could be out there and as you have told it..not nice to have around..Nice going..Kathie

[quinfinn]

i like the idea that we, humanity, are in fact ....the virus. it's about as close to the real truth as anything i have ever believed or read. brilliant write, David!