J.H. DickinsonPoetry, Essays and Art By J.H. Dickinson from All-Creatures.org


When...

When I die —
There is fanfare
A ripple effect
A personhood lost

When you die —
A number in line
A bellow and thrash
Against arms that pull

When I die —
Crystal tears
Memory-treasure
Thoughts of others

When you die —
Brutality
Cruelty, lost hope
With no one to remember you

When I die —
I am named, known
Remembered by some
A lucky one

When you die —
Nameless
Beheaded
Binned

We both — live
We both — feel
We both — witness
We both — fear
We both — seek comfort in others
We both — flourish in kindness

We breathe
We blink and observe the world around us

We both die
But only one of us — lives

Cow sketch

Poem and Art © 2022 J.H. Dickinson


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