No Reverence For The Dead

         Copyright c 2006 John Trubee


          I regularly read the obituaries to remind myself
          That I won't be here forever
          That whatever I must do            
           I must accomplish NOW
          To not waste my time
          To structure the brief time of my life

          According to the obits, no one who dies
          Ever shits on others
          Ever commits crimes
          Ever does anything wrong:
          They are all perfect angels

          However, life experience informs me
          That human beings habitually torture and kill each other
          Dominate each other
          Ceaselessly torment each other

          Yet we're asked to ignore the shitty behavior
          Of these rats 'n' brats
          Simply because they died

          I refuse to revere the dead
          Until the living revere the living.