LatinosUSA

Haibun Book Review: Robert Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land

While in elementary school, I regularly visited the small library branch nearby to check out and read science fiction books, many written by Robert Heinlein. On one occasion, I picked up another book by Heinlein, and this one put me, the reader, in the role of a stranger in a Strange Land. Thinking the main theme would be science fiction, I was instead put into the unforgiving grasp of a theme abounding with bold passages of explicit sex. What could I know about that?? A couple of my buddies had older sisters who may have privately shared some of those secrets. But I had no female siblings, and was caught in an era when little boys had to grow up a lot before they were considered eligible to be formally enlightened on the subject. My parents and teachers especially kept their lips tightly sealed.

The outcome was that
my parents took the book back
to the library

~~

The Reflecting Sea

Part 3, Act 2
The Box Cutter
Extraordinaire
Little man stretched out
His tiny hand over the Pool
The Lord drove the pool back
With a demolished East Wing
All that night and
Turned the pool into
Dry humor.

~~

Alas, My Home Team Sucks

The Kings are
Ostriches
In a league of
Condors
Look at the trade of
D’Aaron Fox
To the Spurs
There he is a
Condor
While the Kings
Continue to perform
Like Ostriches

~~

Excuse Me, I Need To Scratch My...

That’s on you
I just put a rhetorical sinkhole
In front of your eyes
Where did you ever get such thoughts?
Must just be up from the minor leagues
This poem needs some accomplished relief
From the bullpen, a seasoned southpaw
With a reputation that sells merch online
Mood mugs, shower shirts, batted balls
Sorry, my keepers are coming to take me away, hey hey