I Will Have

this was inspired by a teacher of mine. make of it what you will.


I will have
An apartment of my own with my own fine things
Filling it
Like soap dishes from Turkey, and books full of semiotic and gender theory, and stools from India
I will have
The relationships I choose
Whether they are with many men or one woman, and I will make them work so that the old people and young children I know live in mutual recognition of me, and of each other
I will have
Traditions of my own
And if they are not those of my ancestors and if my life is lived according to my own moral guidelines, it will be the life that I have chosen
I will have
A cosmopolitan life
In New York City, surrounded by friends and culture and art and enlightenment
I will die
And they will eat the half-finished organic carrot cake that sat on the counter, waiting for me all last week