February 2002: The Locusts

           Therocketssetthebonymeadowsafire,turnedrocktolava,turnedwoodtocharcoal,transmittedwatertosteam,madesandandsilicaintogreenglasswhichlaylikeshatteredmirrorsreflectingtheinvasion,allabout.Therocketscamelikedrums,beatinginthenight.Therocketscamelikelocusts,swarmingandsettlinginbloomsofrosysmoke.Andfromtherocketsranmenwithhammersintheirhandstobeatthestrangeworldintoashapethatwasfamiliartotheeye,tobludgeonawayallthestrangeness,theirmouthsfringedwithnailssotheyresembledsteel-toothedcarnivores,spittingthemintotheirswifthandsastheyhammeredupframecottagesandscuttledoverroofswithshinglestoblotouttheeeriestars,andfitgreenshadestopullagainstthenight.Andwhenthecarpentershadhurriedon,thewomencameinwithflowerpotsandchintzandpansandsetupakitchenclamortocoverthesilencethatMarsmadewaitingoutsidethedoorandtheshadedwindow.

           Insixmonthsadozensmalltownshadbeenlaiddownuponthenakedplanet,filledwithsizzlingneontubesandyellowelectricbulbs.Inall,someninetythousandpeoplecametoMars,andmore,onEarth,werepackingtheirgrips…