At lunch, the other day, with three old friends
(More than three-hundred-twenty used up years),
Munching Chinese food, contemplating ends,
We drift, recalled old smiles and salted tears.
Take a step forward, turn, and then look back—
Expelled, helpless, into mammalian life,
Parental goads and education’s wrack—
We learned desire, envy, endured strife.
We’ve seen it all—wives, kids, divorces, death—
Our noble species seared by ceaseless wars—
Survived it all, arthritic, drawing breath,
Amazed at modern hist’ry’s vile uproars,
And wonder, as death looms, since die we must,
Just why in hell we suffered all that fuss.
(1/25/13)