AfroPoets Famous Writers

Emergency Plan


First we decided where to meet.
The fire was coming and I knew


what we should do: flashlights,
water, condoms, and a shot


of our imaginary son. Only, what we used to call our
peeping birds startled me into starting days


long before the city bus commenced its run.
That's when I knew we hadn't done enough


in case the sky fell while I was driving,
and I packed a pair of panties, matches,


some aspirin in the trunk. After we stopped
making breakfast plans (the pecking


woke me early and by breakfast
I was always eating lunch), I secreted


in my office that little blue box:
trail mix, shekels, and seed to plant


after the revolution was over
and done. I made sure we remembered


where we planned to meet, taught us
to swim in case we came near water


when it decided to flood. But those damned birds
with their nesting scattered on the patio


were eventually the most reliable alarm
and, only to level the threat, I fashioned a carry-all


from the pillowcase I no longer slept on.
I filled it: tinned meat and crackers, chocolate,


a little musk so I can recall
how we smelled before this end was begun.

Written by Camille Dungy

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