Living Will
By Geetha Ravichandran
 

Open the windows wide,

never mind the noise or emissions.

Even the polluting, soulless lights

twisted around trees for a celebration,

or glaring down from lampposts

are welcome to stream in

to rest on the floor beside me.

No hospital beds or hooking me

onto monitors and bags, no tangle of tubes,

no measuring input and output to buy more time.

The expanse of breath

fragrant and free

should take me

wherever I need to go

without support.

Sing, if you must

or play evening ragas.

Even lo-fi music will do.

If you could,

get two peacocks

to perch on the mango tree.

Bring them in for a day,

to feast on all the insects,

reptiles and snakes that infest

the backyard and let them scream

in triumph.