I need to print out
every last one of my poems
for the coming apocalypse.
After civilization crumbles
and the lights go out
all my computer screens will be
like unto shit
so I need to have a way
to entertain the masses
come Armageddon.

For when the governments are broken
and the militias arise
and the buildings fall and diseases mutate
– and don’t get me started on the mutants –
when everything’s down the toilet
what will we need more
than silly poems about the First World?
How will our souls survive
without our DVDs and MP3s
and all the other avenues of creativity?

After doomsday,
in the arts-free future,
the half-asses poet will be king,
and I need to prepare
for my eventual role.
So my poems must be printed
and then laminated
and then maybe locked away
in case of firestorm.

Anyway
I’m getting prepared
for an ugly future
with the best defense of all:
optimism.