cosmic dust

we came in from the desert, large tribes covered in the dust of ancient cultures
thirsty for drops of fresh water, and cold for the rays of sunshine

we left the desert bound to one another with thick, knotted cords
but now with tied hands we slowly thread fibre optic tubes through our ears and eyes and noses and mouths
patching, brain to brain, the members of our tribes, stitching ourselves to the edges of the enemy camps

the red lights flicker, flash, form droplets of salty water
sweated out the unsealed pores to flood the world again

build your ark, noah,
strong enough to float out the deluge
for nothing else we know can survive

and when the libraries
and the server rooms
and the galleries
and the museums
are all underwater or evaporated,
then we can start all over again