"Emergency"

In the event of an emergency
Grab the red crystal bird atop your armoire
Never mind about the fingerprints that will smother its eyes
Or every other warning you’ve ever received
It’s pretty enough to save
And you can reach it quickly if you dump the clothes off the chair and drag it over.

Clutch your old dog’s old collar
The one his predecessor/ancestor wore before him, with the chipped heart-shaped tag chosen for a girl
Your current dog would be wearing it now, but her neck is too slender
She requires a special kind that doesn’t let her slip out
On a walk
Ignore the way the musky collar rubs against the translucent crystal in your hand
Worlds can collide today, in the event of this emergency.

Lunge for at least one birthday card your grandfather made on his computer,
He photoshopped pictures of you into adventures
and printed I love you all over them
Many of them are splitting apart at the fold, but they’re better ripped in half than gone
Your grandfather loved your dog and your crystals

Your memories are written down somewhere
Are they staying with relatives,
Or are they hidden behind crystal birds and collars and cards
It's better to search for them now
You may not get a chance to after this emergency