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“let me be what is needed” by Zoe Todd

gather up the moss
clean the corners, but not too much
leave things for comfort
of the little creatures
the other beings

sweep up dust
sneeze it towards the sun
sweep your hands across this expanse
this little nest
which you have fought so hard to build

consider, briefly
the warmth of the day
hug yourself closely
gather up the threads
the dropped change

clean up the piles
of books and half-finished poems

prepare
prepare because you worry
that this little nest
this little place you fought so hard to build
you worry it will need to be
sanctuary
soon

or maybe not soon but soon enough
but you hope
that in your fallibility
your failures
your petty anger
your expansive rage

you hope that if loved ones and strangers
must flee unspeakable things
you hope you can provide comfort
this nest
this sanctuary

you consider that
you refuse hardening
you thaw out
you insist on tenderness
and sharing
of what little or what much you have

you think
let me be a buoy
in a world of anchors
let me be light
and hope
and love and care
let me be
that
which
turns this
gathering nightmare
this extension of orders of violence
of centuries of hate
to something
else

something worthy
of the sun
the birds
the sea
the sky

let me be
what is needed