If I am to die, let it be today,

while my eyes can still recognise

close friends, distant enemies.
If I am to sleep, let stars descend
and cats-eye the dark path to eternity.

If I am to rise with the waiting dead,
let me flex bloodless limbs, practice
stiff-jointed resurrection.

If I am to dialogue with God,
teach me his alphabet. I parrot Arabic
because it was His father-tongue.

If I am to leave you, let me amputate
my heart so that, when rejoined
we can reclaim lost time,
resume our interrupted love.

1.12.19