A Biologist's View of Life

Most animals follow this pattern of life
As the first significant event comes birth
In infancy on our parents we totally depend
Childhood should be time for play and mirth
Developing and learning our time we spend
In adolescence we meet significant strife,
We must acquire and master lifetime abilities
Not quite ready for independent life yet
Still we challenge our elders to be equal
Our true desire is to become their sequel
Next it's time for career,marriage, and debt
Now come children and great responsibilities,
This is our time of strength and vitality
We should relish this our time in the sun
Too soon our dominance has ended in reality
The next generation demands to make its run
Years speed by, bringing inevitable decline
Our offspring now grown are doing just fine
Old age brings fragility or disease by the by
Our biological clock spent,it's time to die.

Harry Edward Gilleland      08.10.01    printer friendly