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Orwellian

Roses are red
The overalls of the Party are blue
You better believe that
Big Brother is watching you.

Time Travel Gone Wrong

Roses are red
The future’s hypoxic
Our time machine died
We accidentally made the world more toxic.

Climate Change

Roses are dead
Violets are too
The scientists shake their heads
And say, we told you!

PKD

Drugs are red
Drugs are blue
I’m too paranoid
To stay in this conapt with you.

Police State

Blood is red
Bled by the Blue
This one’s hard
To say it’s not true.

Nuclear Fallout

The sky is red
Soon it will be white
If we all just live underground
Maybe we’ll be alright.

We

The Wall is Green
One State offers no absolution
Though I-330 is gone, we remember
There is no final revolution.

Pandemic

Rubor is red
Calor is hot
Will we unite and work together?
From experience, we know we will not.

Corporate

Citizens are in the red
Megacorps are in the black
Standing on citizens’ necks
Until they all crack.

Technological

Roses are hearts
Violets are shares
When we meet in person
No words, just stares.

Humans Are Food

Meat is red
The people are starving
When Grandma passes
Get out the knives for carving.

AI

Vision is infrared
Microchips are green
Humans calculated and subjugated
Under the hivemind queen.

Today

Roses are red
Dystopia means bad place
We the people are the only ones
Who can save the human race.



Jason P. Burnham (he/him) loves to spend time with his wife, children, and dog. In between doing his part to collectively navigate the timeline-ship out of the dystopiaverse, he is writing a cosmic horror bureaucracy game for Choice of Games.

Current Issue
9 Mar 2026

Roger “Rod” Jefferson died on April 8 at home, surrounded by his many dear friends. Rod was a fierce advocate for gay rights and served as the head of the Gay and Lesbian Liberation Coalition for seven years.
and we let loose our dragon by the sun of a thousand fireflies
By: Lio Abendan
Podcast read by: Jenna Hanchey
In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, Michael Ireland presentsLio Abendan's 'I Wish You Died Laughing' read by Jenna Hanchey. Subscribe to the Strange Horizons podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠
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