Pillow Talk – Raye Hendrix

During sex I tell my lover:

I’m so glad we’re both alive

when we are. She believes

this is romantic but what

I mean is: this morning I read

an essay on climate change

and the research says

we’ll likely die before

the earth does. This is how

I’m told it’s meant to be:

love a misunderstanding

we both agree to; a wishbone

gripped in the other’s fist

primed to break—and when

it does I pray I have the larger

piece so I can tell my lover:

you take it. Keep whatever

            luck it brings and what

I will mean is: I’m happy

to be small if it’s for you.