Poems for the End of the World

by Katie Wismer

I’ve lived inside of my head for so long sometimes I forget there’s an entire world outside of it

at least I’ve learned to stop catering my life to those who cannot fathom experiences outside of their own

it’s easy to tell when I’m uncomfortable because I become a lot nicer than I actually am

is my brain wired wrong or is everyone else as tortured by the glaring awareness of their own existence do I just pay too much attention

the jeans I wore in high school don’t fit me anymore and neither do some of my dreams - it’s okay to let those go too

I wanted more for you and more from you my entire life and you laugh and shake your head when I say I don’t want kids but the impossibility of it— there is no version of motherhood for me that would bring anything but dissatisfaction and resentment one way or another and sometimes people don’t change their minds anyway the world is bound to explode any minute now so maybe it’s for the best

if you are underwhelmed by me please just let me go

sometimes I miss the old days but I don’t miss who I used to be