the opposite of a eulogy is a prophecy

iAM POETRY 2020 the opposite of a eulogy is a prophecy

and the clouds whispered to me that you will outlive this / you will pull the stars from the sky with your teeth / spit them out, grinning / your mouth bloodied but brilliant / white-hot with flame / you have taken blows that could fell giants / kept a quiet survival tucked below your tongue / you will do this as long as you live / but how you will live, darling / weaving dreams like flowers in your hair / laughing until your lungs burst to fireworks / loving and dancing as clumsily as you do fiercely / yes / my blood says that it is so / and a river would sooner stop than lie / yes / the darkness will recede / a wave pulling reluctantly from the shore / yes you will outlive this / yes, even this.

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