the beginning of the end of the world

cockroach population possibly declining

—news report

maybe the morning the roaches

walked into the kitchen

bold with they bad selves

marching up out of the drains

not like soldiers     like priests

grim and patient in the sink

and when we ran the water

trying to drown them as if they were

soldiers     they seemed to bow their

sad heads     for us not at us

and march single file away

maybe then     the morning we rose

from our beds as always

listening for the bang of the end

of the world     maybe then

when we heard only the tiny tapping

and saw them dark and prayerful

in the kitchen     maybe then

when we watched them turn from us

faithless at last

and walk in a long line away