If You Are Over Staying Woke

If You Are Over Staying Woke

BY MORGAN PARKER

Water

the plants. Drink

plenty of water.

Don't hear

the news. Get

bored. Complain

about the weather.

Keep a corkscrew

in your purse.

Swipe right

sometimes.

Don't smile

unless you want

to. Sleep in.

Don't see the news.

Remember what

the world is like

for white people.

Listen to

cricket songs.

Floss. Take pills.

Keep an

empty mind.

When you are

hungover

do not say

I'm never drinking

again. Be honest

when you're up

to it. Otherwise

drink water

lie to yourself

turn off the news

burn the papers

skip the funerals

take pills

laugh at dumb shit

fuck people you

don't care about

use the crockpot

use the juicer

use the smoothie maker

drink water

from the sky

don't think

too much about the sky

don't think about water

skip the funerals

close your eyes

whenever possible

When you toast

look everyone in the eyes

Never punctuate

the President

Write the news

Turn

into water

Water

the fire escape

Burn the paper

Crumble the letters

Instead of

hyacinths pick

hydrangeas

Water the hydrangeas

Wilt the news

White the hydrangeas

Drink the white

Waterfall the

cricket songs

Keep a song mind

Don't smile

Don't wilt

funeral

funeral