Power Outage

Isidra and Rey and
the others

had heard
the Martian’s hollow footsteps,

her breathing,
they could almost hear

hear heartbeat.
They hid in the shadows,

they adjusted the controls
on their space suits

so that the exhalators
(which recycled air)

kept the rushing air noise
to a minimum.

The Martian lay down
in its sarcophagus.

She seemed to fall
into a deep, cold sleep.

Rey and the strongest
of the technicians

pushed the lid
until they had

sealed the Martian
in her bed.

They hoped
to use the crane

to get the trapped Martian
to the surface.

Half way up
with their Martian cargo,

the damn power went out.
Isidra used

her aluristo
to hurriedly call the lab.

“Power is out
all over the planet!”

was the response.
“You’d think

we were back in Mejico!”,
said Isidra,hechando madres.

Maintaining reliable power
had always been a problem

even for the original
gringo scientists.

The angry red planet
could be a cabrón.