Eyes are Blurred
to the Battlefield
Janet Kuypers
7/29/13
On the Indonesian island Jawa
large turtle skeletons
litter the plains,
because after they come in
from the ocean
to lay their eggs,
swarms of wild dogs there
all got together
and pounced.
Those wild dogs flip the turtles over,
and strip them all
from their shells
before they eat them alive.
So if you go to the plains on Jawa,
you’ll see what looks like
skeletal remains —
and if your eyes are blurred,
you’ll swear you’re seeing
a battlefield.
Because we cannot forget
that life is a constant
avoidance of death:
because many of those wild dogs
who killed the turtles
are prey to the tiger,
who later pounses up on them.
This is the cycle of life,
because every birth
is a prelude to death.
Remember this.
Don’t forget.
When people are young, they’re sure
they’re invincible, only because
the beat the odds.
But everyone gambles, we call it life,
but you have to remember,
the house always wins.
Everybody thinks they’re ahead,
and they forget to
cut their losses —
because most of the time, even if
someone’s lived a long life,
are they still happy?
Really?
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