extinction—when not if.
I pace outside my mother’s room
soothed by the rhythmic clicks
and pumps.
She is stable, the dime-sized
tumor on her lungs is gone.
She is walking again, breathing
with intention.
The future is a folded napkin.
Her tin foil-covered ramekins
once used as ashtrays have
all be cleaned and stacked.
At dinner, they are passed
holding salt, holding butter
The future is bright yellow,
we are fossils
we are flames
–
Jessica Gigot is a poet, farmer, and writing coach. Her second book of poems, Feeding Hour, was a finalist for the 2021 Washington State Book Award. Jessica’s writing and reviews appear in several publications such as The New York Times, Orion, Terrain.org, and Poetry Northwest. Her memoir, A Little Bit of Land, was published by Oregon State University Press in 2022.