What are the odds
of being born human
when beetles outnumber us
a quadrillian to one
was it just luck?
did we do something virtuous
in a past life
as a fish or a snail?
the word universe
means it's one time around
then back where we came from
that must be the stars
since the atoms
our bodies are made of
were forged in the stellar convulsions
we call supernovae
explosions that mark
the last act of a star

If ever I'm blessed to be
reborn a star
in some farflung galaxy
spinning in space
may it be with a circling
of jewel-like planets
and may one at least
appear pale blue and white
and be teeming with life
like this precious puffball
of spacerock and water
we've come to call earth
our planet our mother
for now but we know
that all things are in motion
and one day we too will be
saying our goodbyes
before moving on