(no subject)

Panda Poem - for Celeste

The day that Panda 27 died
- they went extinct, she really was the last
though some say an impersonator passed
herself off for a while. I can't decide

whether it's best for something to have passed
out of the world, or linger for a while
as imitations that make someone smile
if bitterly, while knowing that the last

real thing has gone. The homage comes from love
and from our sense of shame. There is no room
for many things we nail up in their tomb
and then regret them. Nonetheless we shove

things out of life then want to have them back
and pay someone to fake the thing we lack.