of human incarnation
so much more likely to be born a beetle
or an ant
even a jellyfish
the buddhists say
that what we have
was earned through countless lifetimes
as creatures less evolved
each one building
on the previous experience
and some act of kindness
a different take on evolution
to be sure
though even if the jellyfish take over
as certain scientists are now predicting
I doubt that in some planetary future
they'll be deciphering these squiggles
these poems written down for the pure pleasure
of watching words chase one another
across the white expanse
of a blank page