The Wardrobe’s Best Dressed: Love Letters from a Burning Planet by MJ Gomez

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Have You Prepared for Your Death?

              after Bhanu Kapil

Snowdrop. Sandstorm. Rain,
               fall. Sun, shine a little
longer. Goodness, leave me
               a little later. Tell me,
what should I say
               when English
always leads to begging?
               When even the rain pleads
goodness, please stay.
               Stay a little longer
past curfew. This is a refusal
               to say goodbye, goodbye,
to today,
               and this is all we know, Lord,
but I don’t want
               to admit it,
goodness,
               please stay, I turn to you
when I have no one else
               to blame. You, slow dancing
with the sound
               of lightning.
You, slow dancing with nothing,
               you, you, you, I still hear you
in the maple’s
               leaving. In the guitar’s breaking.
I hear you as lightning
               strikes and it’s morning again.
Yes, I hear you. I, here, with you
               again. Like lightning. Like snow.
I, hare, struck
               with being your tomorrow.
Lord, take me
               back. If you can
hear me now,
               let forever be found
in our falling. Let the stormcloud
               never become
groundwater.
               Bless the unworthy
just this once,
               and let this flight last
a little longer.
               Goodness,
good lord,
               I’m not ready.

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