Like old kings come together
in agreement of a contest
so long as the princess-prize
goes home with one of them.

Now it is your turn
for nations to fight
over the pillaging of your body.

The only questions remaining are:
Who goes first?
Who gets the best goods?

Have women always been mines?

Filled with precious gems,
and it’s only a matter of time
before they too are stripped
—the only line of defence a cave in,

or praying to you,
way up there in the sky–
for you to shine a moonbeam down
and save them, make them

of your coterie, your coven
showing them tender encouragement
and gentler hands than the astronauts
who now reach up to you.


*The Artemis Accords, signed by the UK, USA, United Arab Emirates, Luxembourg, Japan, Italy, Canada, and Australia, set out the “Principles for cooperation in the civil exploration and use of the moon, Mars, comets, and asteroids for peaceful purposes”

© Lynne Sargent