maybe the water is usable now
potable
maybe it will turn my gold to dirt
twist in my gut
wring me out

maybe there will be none next week
all over
not just somewhere and there too
not everyone can get
the plastic

not everyone can get the memo
some people
brush their babies’ teeth with it
others
boil up a lead soup for supper

without water how will we
keep our flesh from the vultures
without water how will we
fight off the desert
come to swallow the sea

we can see across time – can’t you?
we know what happened
you never change, you never change
the well goes dry
we start again