One day
one of us
will be lost
to the other
this has been
talked about but
lightly turning
away shyness this
business of con-
fronting the
preference for
survival
my mother said the
children are grown we
are both so sick let us
die together my father
replied no no you
will be well he lied
of course I
want you in the world
whether I’m in it or
not your spirit
I probably mean
there is always
something to say in
the end speaking
without breath one
of us will be lost
to the other
~ Grace Paley
