Marie C Lecrivain

Each of us Like You

Has Died Once (H.D.*)

1.

These days my worries conscript 

new worries to march behind them, 

lest I take a moment to relax, 

and daydream of a future 

that won’t involve mass extinction.

2.

I open my curtains and look out the window.

It’s a cloudy morning, which means a sunny

afternoon overlaid with humidity will

drive up my menopausal thermostat, 

a thought that already has sweat running

down my neck. There are more shadows

than there used to be, thanks to the construction 

a three-story luxury condo. The biscuit-colored monolith 

obstructs my view. Now, I see the edge of dawn, 

where I once witnessed the whole thing. 

3.

What’s your exit strategy? I see this question 

pop up in memes and articles, and wonder—

in what context? With the exception 

of some species of jellyfish, we’re all 

headed for death, whether we like it or not. 

It all depends on timing.

(*From H.D.’s poem “Adonis”)