Lessons From History

These yellow suns were always worth a look,
and many thought the species that ruled
the third world would make entertaining prey;
but some howled more loudly, insisting we
eliminate them while still planet-bound,
in case their heirs became a threat one day.

So leaders were challenged and blood tasted
before a distant rock was nudged earthwards.
Such cruelty and hunger in their eyes.
Ancient instinct drew them close to watch
the impact send a blast wave round the globe
and a killing darkness shroud the skies.

But as the heavens burst into flame,
even baring teeth like railway spikes
crammed into huge bone-crushing jaws
held aloft by seven tons of muscle
was no help. T. rex died like all the rest.
It was the culling of the dinosaurs,

but the furtive mammals that crept out
to claim the future would one day be us,
who learned to wipe out the competition
and keep a watchful eye for speeding rocks.
Next time, such visitors might notice how
we treat our own kind, and just hurry on.

Find more by David Barber in the Author Index.