Poetry and Prose from the Center for Writers
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Before the End
by ALLEN BERRY
Just as the planet disappears into a blinding light, you’ll think to yourself: “Yeah, that’s about what I expected.” The girl you wanted to talk to in the subway will return; you’ll fall deeply, madly, in love; just when you think you’ll spend what’s left of the rest of your lives together … she’ll leave and you’ll watch the end of the world all alone. FM radio will play only Barry Manilow. The proletariat will all switch to de-caf. The trains will run on time. Paper towels will be at a premium. Santa will begin to leave cryptic messages to children like “I’ll be back for the plump one tomorrow night” and “Reindeer tastes strangely like chicken.” Before the end comes, janitorial services will begin to suffer.
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