Alison Rumfitt | A Poem | Poets Resist | Glass: A Journal of Poetry

Alison Rumfittis a semi-professional trans woman and writer who lives and works in Brighton, UK. Her debut pamphlet, The T(y)ranny was published by Zarf Editions, and her writing has appeared in all manner of places; Burning House Press, Glass Poetry, Honey and Lime, Transition Quarterly, Soft Cartel, Datableed and more. She often reads live, and has appeared at all manner of poetry nights and festivals and will probably appear at many more unless she falls down a well or something.

Alison Rumfitt's website.

Also by Alison Rumfitt: Romance of Possible Contrasts Mindcunt Unresponsive

Previously in Glass: A Journal of Poetry: That’s Just Politics… Baby!

Poets Resist
Edited by Jemshed Khan
May 31, 2019

Alison Rumfitt

A Poem

& I will say I love you. & you will say you love me. & I will say, do you ever think about the end of the world? & you will say that you do. You think about it a lot. & I will say that sometimes I cannot sleep because of it. & you will say, you should take sleeping pills. & I will say that I don’t want to take any more pills than I already do. & you will apologise. & I will hug you close & say it’s fine. & you will say, just try not to think about it. & I will say, do you think we are all going to die? & you will say that maybe we are, or maybe our kids will. Or maybe not. & I will say what hope is there? & you will say the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. & I will say what is that? & you will tell me about the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. About all the seeds. & I will say, do they keep human seed down there, or just plants? & you will say that you don’t know. & I will say, what if we all die & there’ only plants? & you will say that plants represent a greater hope & potential for life. & I will say that I don’t want that at all, I just don’t want to die. & you will say that we are not going to die. & I will say, will you take me to the Svalbard Seed Vault. & you will say that we probably wouldn’t be allowed to be in there. & I will say, will you break us in? & you will say, I don’t know. & I’ll go silent & so will you. The news is happening again. The news won’t stop happening until we are all dead & rotting away. Even when you turn of the news it is still happening. Who will survive and what will be left of them.

"A Poem" is about the climate crisis, and also the protest group Extinction Rebellion, who have been heavily criticised for their tactics and politics.