When we say specimen
we mean you. By you
we mean whatever
collection of night sweats
and shopping lists accumulates
in the bed by dawn. When
we say dark we mean pitch,
moonless, starless,
don’t even open your eyes.
When we say he has your eyes
we mean we see nothing
of you there. If you want
someone to come for you,
you’ll have to cry harder than that.
If you want to be prepared,
practice: blizzard, fire, famine.
Your shoes or your coat?
Your cat or your dog?
Sister, daughter, mother, wife?