a twin’s lament

they brought me in to identify my twin 
to say yes, those are my eyes 
except they're not 
because these eyes belong to the dead 
and you cannot be dead 

or maybe you are 

because my heart is beating without its other half 
because when i breathe you do not breathe with me 
you must be dead because the world is dead, and you are my world. 
you were there since the beginning, why couldn't you wait until the end? 

that's my twin, i tell them, and i look at my reflection on those starch white sheets. 

they say, thank you, and i leave. 

it was me on that table, it was me because you are me and i am you, 
i would give anything for you not to be on that table 
but i wish you wouldn't miss me so.