All the persons we know are humans alas
Certain whales perhaps and great apes
Come damned close
And elephants uncannily intelligent
But entry into discourse
Oriented toward understanding
Has succeeded with none of them
While with persons
Reason is as mother’s milk
And as artistically realized gastronomy

Now space aliens
Like God Almighty
Should identify themselves
And stop playing
Nonconsensual hide and seek with us
And reach for consensus
As to who and what now
For technology can far outstrip moral development
As humanity has shown
And omnipotence gives no guarantee of goodwill

So do not fault us
If we require assurances
From those who wish to cross our threshold