Had that twinkle
in my parents’ eyes
gone unrealized, unsated;

Had one half of my chromosomes
not dropped and struggled
and made it;

then, to think
what I never
would have known

the burrow of my mother’s arms
the laugh of my father
the marrow comfort of my siblings
the texture of bread kneaded by my grandmother
the laughter of friendship
the gasp of discovery
the satisfying sweat of effort
the adamant sweat of nerves
the warmth of a first kiss
the palpitation of a first love
the shatter of first heartbreak
the smell of grass in the sun
the taste of beer in the shade
the grip of a cold river in August
the rest of a good day’s work
the soul-skipping sight of her in a white dress
the chuckle of my son
the nuzzle of my daughter

And yet
as the darkness returns
I gotta say
the game isn’t worth the candle

Better to not be born than to die
no offense to the living
all that stuff is pretty cool
but dying is a pretty insurmountable bummer