Contact

It’s the 4th of July and I’ve spent too much
time in front of the television, absorbed
in a marathon about alien abductions.
That night, I decide to light roman candles
in an attempt to establish first-contact.
If I was the elected Earth’s diplomat,
I’d tell you we really mean no harm—
that, like they say in the movies,
we come in peace.
Friend, I’d say, ignore our shouting,
our sharp elbows, ankles, and knees.
Stop by and visit.
We are heartfelt and lonely.
So please, stranger, take our tiny hands.
Come look into our toy-box.
We want to show you our sparkly things.

Jeff Haynes is an MFA candidate at Virginia Tech where he has served as poetry editor and, most recently, as managing editor of the minnesota review. His work has appeared in Word Riot, The Hollins Critic, and Mixed Fruit. He lives in Christiansburg, Virginia.