-A Valentine to the Planet-

Tragi-comedy

is both hilarious

And grievous 

Raucous and

somber

Suicide is to kill

the Self—

fresh off the shelf

To end the pain

Though perhaps still sane.

To walk a plank

without even a thank

you –

too –

I watch/we watch

this sleepy, busy,

important species

bustle about

business as unusually usual

I saw the iceberg

coming

before the others did

too late

too wet

too cold

We can’t awaken

even when shaken

to take hold of the heat

that, I guess, can’t be beat

I cried my tears

confronted my fears

And the many years

I pretended toooooo

But now it is clear

that the time is here

it’s all she wrote

so no time to gloat –

we won the game

while losing the same

Our kids/their kids

will get the bill

while we,

hands, in the till,

yet, out of thrill,

tip toe off the stage

saved by age

“Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do!” T.S. 2/14/19

© Tony Smith