Jennifer's Mars Glow

Alice Allan

Buying coffee
(thirtieth birthday)
running late
newspaper:
Jennifer Aniston is
reportedly spending $20,000
a month on beauty
treatments, including $400
for neck cream, which is
apparently made from
crystals from Mars.
To finish, we cover
her age, profession
and interests
chemical peels and
laser treatments.
This is the end
of the news article.
Lady at the table
cradles her latté
nudges and tugs
her carbon fibre stroller
barista bashes, steams and pours
as if everything's normal
even though we now know
we can leave this planet.
We can cross the silent gap between
this place and Mars.
We can collect its desert red crystals
and rub them into our necks.