I CHOOSE TO LIVE

There’s a kind of life that’s worse than death
I choose not to lead it
Unripe mangoes I’ve seen
That can, but mayn’t be eaten with salt
I choose to wait for them to ripen

There are hurdles that are on my path
I choose to jump over them, not avoid them
There are currents so surely strong, though I am swept by them
I choose to wait for the low tide if I should, not must
There’s food to be eaten
I choose to wash my hands
I choose to stick to meat and two veg, as of old

There are many lanes in the highway of life
Fortunately, I don’t have to choose the fastest
It’s hot in the desert
Many a pilgrim has drunk from the oases
I choose to wait for the sure proverbial desert-rain
I choose not to let the weather decide me

I choose to avoid decoys I see, but pretend not to
Those vultures awaiting my demise may not feast
What you don’t know doesn’t kill you
But, I choose to know as
The fear is worse than the pain

There’s a school of thought that says
What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger
I choose not to die
Before I’m dead.
I choose to live