lay me down next to america, for when she rises again, i want to be there too

#poemsfortheresistance

a woman once died from toxic empathy
the coroner said her heart gave out 
after it was crushed by the weight of all the needs she carried on her back

“toxic empathy,”
the coroner said,
“killed this woman.”
“beware,”
the king said,
“because it might be catching.”

at her funeral, 
they laid her gently, tutting at her ruined body
“poor girl,”
the people said,
“if only she knew—
empathy like that
only kills dead.”

they buried her 
in an unmarked grave 
because nothing is worse 
than making a martyr of 
someone so contagious 

for years she decomposed 
and the world turned above her
but instead of dispelling,
the empathy seeped out

and just like all toxins 
like peace, love, and justice
the air was infected 
before anyone could tell

and the coroner kept burying
and the king kept warning 
and the people kept tutting
but the empathy kept spreading

spreading
and spreading 
and spreading 
and spreading

until the atmosphere shifted
and she rose from the dead

#poemsfortheresistance