Surely, they’ll be no film or biography
about your quiet life. And no living proof
that you multiplied—having never been
one for leftovers.
No gold medal or memberships
to elite clubs. No great contribution
to science or technology. No statue,
stamp or perpetually lit candle
in the alcove of some cathedral.
But won’t it be enough to have perfumed
this bizarre realm with a smattering
of your good will and kind gestures
before fossilizing and turning to dust?
Maybe even more than enough
to have been invited to this party, leaving
before overstaying your welcome,
before having to be shoved out the door.
Yes, it will be enough to return home
without a doggie bag or sense of entitlement,
perhaps popping up in the background
of the host’s snapshot, glass raised high
with the other guests, hollering Cheers!
