How to Live

Push your
mind to the
limit. your body
farther. burn
the midnight
florescence at work.
the morning
H-ball at school.
sleep later.

Live hard when
young. engine burns
out faster. lose depends
wearing wheelchair years.
muttering your
name over and
over. every syllable
wrong.

Die hard when
old. live to
spite your
heirs. forget
your name. mutter
another. laugh when
no one gets the
joke. hit people
with your
wheelchair. smile
because life's still
grand.

Slice your own
path through the
thorns. these roses
are spoken
for.

Michael Wolf Ilett