The Optimist

“I’ve lived a long time and I’ve learned a few things,”
Said my grey-haired philosopher friend
“And I’ve reached some conclusions to ruin your illusions,
About the importance of men.”

“By men I mean ‘Homo’ – the Sapien race
The ones who have caused all the fuss,
From whom it’s debated that apes are related,
Perhaps they’ve descended from us…?”

“Our society is like birds in a flock
As they bicker out on the lawn,
It’s bureaucracy and the powers that be,
While the rest of us look on!”

“All men are not equal…nor horses…nor fish
And we cannot be what we’re not
You could never lay claim to what Terry Fox gained,
Nor the horrors that Olson wrought.”

With those words he left me with thoughts in my head
Of animals in the wood…
“If man is no better than fur, fin or feather
Then, “Be-darned if we’re not just as good!”