don't die or disappear on me this pandemic
Don’t die or disappear on me this pandemic.
Don’t leave this country never to return, when I’m unable to travel to send you off. Don’t say good-bye when the last time we met was months ago and within less than a fifteen minute window. Don’t leave when I haven’t the chance to give comfort to your grief. Don’t disappear on me when we’ve talked about future celebrations that now will never come.
Don’t die on me when the last thing in our text chat was you asking for me to buy you something from work. Don’t fade away into nothingness when the last thing you said was “I’m okay.” Don’t disappear when there are dozens of trips we’ve yet to go on. Don’t leave us when I know this is the kind of moment when you would usually shine.
Don’t get sick when you know I can’t be where you are right now. Don’t ask me for pages and pages of lists of books you’d like and then become too weak to read them. Don’t text less and less every week, making me wonder if you’re healthy, if you’ve eaten, if you’ve gone days without sleeping because of work again. Don’t let their demands for profit make you sick.
Don’t give in to the fact that the world is burning with us in it. Don’t let all the hate and abuse for people like us get to you. Don’t give in to how easy it is to just let everything go. Don’t forget that I am here, on your side. Don’t make me scan the news all the time in hopes not to see your name.
Don’t die or disappear on me this pandemic.
I’m sorry this isn’t the usual newsletter content, but I guess I need to get this off my chest.