Retirement Plans
We tried to await the singularity
—Patient and kind—
We were going to upload our minds into the global consciousness and
learn
forever
Talk forever
Joke
Did you hear the one about the old couple and the Internet?
We were going to spend eternity tracing
the shape of your
mind with my mind My
mind with your mind we
could be insatiable
Together
To know the universe
Inside our infinite selves
But fate was neither patient nor kind
Yet a joke
Did you hear the one about the widow?
So I will spend the rest of this life tracing
The negative space
Where your mind met my mind
And wondering what it means to explore
The universe
Singularly
Uncertain how it all still feels so
Infinite
6 thoughts on "Retirement Plans"
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this poem goes to the point of the singularity of loss, its deep breath,
its clarity
My goodness.
You accomplish so much in this poem, and so much as a capital “P” Poet.
The use of “Did you hear the one about …?” and the subtle shift in language from the first stanza to the next.
Can you ever really know how truly good it is that you craft these kinds of poems?
Not only for you. But for us, too.
Much love.
Big 💔 here.
This is finely wrought, Renee.
Thank you for sharing with us.
“Tracing the negative space.” Infinity so cruel. This is a poem I will come back to again and again. Thank you.
Tear jerker. This cuts like a knife. A universal fear.
the power of the sad irony in the title. You go back to it and re-feel the punch. Brava!