Death clone

I heard a rumour at the base

that they collect your DNA 

to clone you,

so when there is a tragedy

—when your ship explodes out near Neptune, for example—

there can be a survivor to cart around.

A pyrrhic miracle.

What a thing to do,

to deny 

one 

one’s own death,

to take a lie and make it true.

No one will verify it.

No one will argue it.

No one will raise a hand to question it.

After all,

if you die and no one is around to say you’ve died,

all it takes

is a replacement

to say you’re alive.

And so what,

who cares

if the clone is different?

Space just might do that to a man.

Being so far away might just rattle his brains.

Almost dying can have a funny effect.

Sometimes 

you

just

come

back

different.

Who knows.

Who knows why they collect your DNA,

but replacement is one rumour I’ve heard.