the death on the news
the death from the breech
the death of the kind of person
who looks so robust for having resisted
dying this long
the death of time
of reading against a tree
where will she go
wild heart widow
to which never quite understanding
arms of which deep friend
in which beautiful place?
death of the cook who has
survived this far
death of cleaning up,
of going home after the shift
to have a beer on the stoop
death of the death bed
we might lurch or revolt but isn't it right
to let dignity live, at least?
call your sisters to wrap up your life
air tight like the cellophane of
off limits leftovers
the reporter cries into
her parka collar
she’s trying to tell us
to pick up the sticks from where
last night’s storm strew them
no accident, no rageful error,
wire went down and lit
the douglas fir on fire
are your neighbors watching?
do they care enough to knock your door
in the night?
yes, in this little grove,
we put on pants
and watched the firemen spray feebly
once the flame had other
plans
<3 off limits leftovers
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