Alternate Fuel

I said we should have plasma coils
To fuel our great galactic quest
Or solar cells to run the ship
Not juice and pips and lemon zest

Lemons are all right for clocks
Or bulbs they're connected to with wire
But surely it is obvious
That spaceships' fuel demands are higher?

I said we should go nuclear
But my requests were overruled
I know the aliens would laugh
If they could see just how we’re fuelled

Committees said "it's good for spares"
Since lemons are sold by the pound
The engines now sit quiet and cold
Their citrus plans have run aground

Our good space craft sits dead in space
The fuel committee didn't think
Of what might be should it turn out
The crew liked lemon in their drinks.

Stuart Sharp is a writer and postgraduate historystudent currently living in East Yorkshire.

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