Earthly Mood

“Perhaps a million years that rock, just, there
On the surface of Mars. Zoom in. That one.
Was likely bigger back when, brawnier.
No doubt sand sifting thereabouts, shaped it
Gave it that edge but-nothing-to-cut look
That spiritual—how might we say, swagger.
Alright. Now pan across those pink mountains
Zero in on Earth rising. Now zoom out.
There’s the Martian moons, Phobos & Deimos
From Greek, ‘panic & fear’ ‘dread & terror’.
Just to the left of those chunkers—see it?
That teeny swirling purple galaxy—
Billions of species blinking out, right now.
Wait. Did that friggin rock just bust a move?”

Xanadu

Stepping on feet almost, crouching on through
Finding a seat, scrunching in, a few winks
A hand hello to someone you once knew
About as well as someone you just met
Which is, not very well (practically not)
But more than plenty for this occasion—
Snap of a twenty-four-ounce Modelo
A bit imposing, but, passing quickly
Unlike the foaming of words from the mic
Two basic styles, generally, to be had
One: the words arranging themselves, and two:
The words leashed up like huskies to a sled.
The gambit? Everyone’s vision aligns
Revved up, picking up speed towards Xanadu.

Aliens 8

They’ve been done landing, for six decades now
And two congressmen from the Corn Flakes Belt
Now lead the charge, sources leaking sources.
Abductions—are up, Trust in God—is down
Weapons spending is up, The Arts are down
Low-rise corduroys rising for decades
How high can they go? Before they go low
From the Avocado Toast Coast to Maine
From the Great Lakes to the Gulf of New Spain
“Uh huh, would you say it’s a cover up?
Or are you suggesting foreign actors?
Senator, try these on, if you could, please—
Can you dance in those for decades with ease?”
They’ve been done about to be done bursted.  





Rodrigo Toscano is a poet based in New Orleans. He is the author of thirteen books of poetry. His latest books are WHITMAN. CANNONBALL. PUEBLA (Omnidawn, 2025, National Poetry Series finalist). The Cut Point(Counterpath, 2023), The Charm & The Dread (Fence, 2022). Forthcoming is Salvage Nation: 100 sonnets (Winter Editions, fall 2026). His Collapsible Poetics Theater was a 2008 National Poetry Series winner. His poetry has appeared in over 25 anthologies, including, Best American Poetry and Best American Experimental Poetry. Toscano received a New York State Fellowship in Poetry. He won the Edwin Markham 2019 prize for poetry.

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