portion of the artwork for Elizabeth P. Glixman's poetry

Emergency Radios and Gauze,
Can You Ever Have Enough?

Elizabeth P. Glixman

I bought a weather emergency radio
I want to be prepared
in case there is a blizzard
and no one but me is in the building and
I can’t get out the front door
seven feet of snow is pushing against it
the phone is down
the radiators are cold

It is spring and I am worried about this
In winter I was worried
about insect bites
tornadoes and pesticides
from the lawn care company

I am not sure if worry
is considered an emergency
I have a large supply of gauze
bandages
water purification tablets
flashlights
flares, self help books whose pages
are worn from all my preparing
There is always a disaster lurking
a flood, a lack of love or too much love
Or the weather or the water
There is never enough gauze
Or words to say it’s over leave me alone
Today I have to wash the lettuce
in vinegar
something is lurking in the leaves


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FRiGG: A Magazine of Fiction and Poetry | Issue 34 | Fall 2011