Last Day on Earth

The day before launch

    maybe gone fora year

        perhapshalf right

Your last day on Earth

    what would youdo?

Robbing the piggybank of time

    to spend it onwhat ever you desire

We live in quarantine

    a flower by anyother name

        that smellslike white collar prison 

You know your crew well

    they becomeyour second family

I have said my good byes

    the hugs aredone

        a walk onthe beach

            andtime for a good cry

You eat anything you want

    No one speaksof this as a last supper

        but it is

You time your bathroom habits

    do I drink mymorning coffee?

Like a dike holding back the sea

    will my diapersurvive

        oh themarvels of rocket science 

A solitary walk with nature

    alligators

        cranes

            turtles

                nosee-ums

decorating my ankles with nasty red bumps

    a parting kissfrom Mother Earth

We study like students

    cramming for anexam

        this time amistake costs more than ten points 

Focus on your duties

    it won’t failbecause of me

Like Samson’s hair

    my family

        the root toall my strength

            I willreturn

Oh how does one spend your last day on Earth

    What would youdo?

Don’s blog also appears at airspacemag.com.