45. Poetry by Kimberly Kuchar

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The Human Parts

(a sequence consisting of one SF tanka and nine scifaiku)

she feels nothing
when he holds her cold hand
“We’ll fix this,” he says
gently detaching her arm
to check the sensors

glitching glamour . . .
he sees her alien face
but he still loves her

caught up
in his electric-blue eyes—
sucked into a portal

adrift in time . . .
the galaxy’s collapse
before her first breath

a perfect infant
cradled in her weak arms—
designed to spec

head in the stars
she boards the first ship
to land in her town

with her chin held high
standing naked in the zoo
she won’t perform

“Honor and glory”
this war is really fought
for Unobtanium

retired hero
a landscape laid to waste
haunts his dreams

silence now . . .
she pulls herself together
at the joints

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