Inflicting Life.

There was a boy who used to say
In a soft voice, with ageless hue
"The end will come as a result of boredom".
And that being said, he'd run along
Towards a field of dirt that seemed so vast
He'd kick the ball towards a friend
And soon forget about the end.

There was a young man with a claim
Of those whose clarity is not aging
"The end will come as a result of weakness".
And thus declared, the words gave way
To the next set of lips to nest upon his own
To kiss away and give away and ever spend
Anything but the promise of the end.

And then there's me without a clue
Guilty of all the time that since has flown
The end won't come; as a result of Being.
But, I too, have my petty speculations
That I discard with deft and with routine
And simply laugh at harms that may impend
And turn my back against the end.

But in my dreams, there is this boy
Who, laughing carelessly, sings on
"The end will come, as a result of boredom!"
And shoots the football through my door
And smile at me and pity me and say
"Having no plans or faults or walls left to amend;
pray, you've achieved a flawless end."

And there is also this young man
Who speaks to me when I'm asleep
"I used to yell the ending comes
as a result of weakness -then I'd finish
and hate myself and pity me and cry
but you have naught inside left to defend;
and thus reserved a guiltless end."

And then I wake without a clue
And still my heart and still my mind and know
"The end will come as a result of ending.
The fiery claws of saturation shall spring sharp
And in a red delirium shall sweep the world ablaze
Not once again to pause or briefly to suspend
Such rage will only come to End."

"The end will come as a result of freedom.
When every bliss and tear will have expired
The end will come in wrath and blood and pain
And sirens and alarms and yells and screams
An epilogue of local television broadcast news
Shall sing away the gain and loss I ever yearned
And teach the boys and adolescents how to End."