M.A.D. is Mad, or: How both the Asteroid Belt and Life on Earth Came Into Being

M.A.D. is Mad, or: How both the Asteroid Belt and Life on Earth Came Into Being
(A Spenserian Sonnet)

Our sun once had a planet number Five
That came between our Mars and Jupiter.
In fact, this planet once was quite alive -
And so was Mars, and not at all was Earth.

A terrifying War was raging on:
Destruction was both mutu'l and assur'd,
But days before the tragic denouement,
Fifth planet sent to Earth a seeding bird.

The weapons, all beyond our field of thought,
Came first from Mars, to get an early lead.
Fifth planet didn't get to send a lot,
And only charred Mars' surface with their deed.

The poor fifth planet heard the bigger thunder:
Though seeded Earth, their home was torn asunder.