Zest for life
rather than death
to be rather
than not to be
to hold the hand
of a lover
and not shake hands
with a deceitful betrayal
to smell a flower
and not dung
to smell
a beautiful woman
and not
a stiff corpse
to listen
to the music
of Led Zeppelin
and not the cries
of the dying
to drink beer
and not the blood
of the living
to hang
about in bars
rather
than Purgatory
to love
and not hate
to sleep only
when the need arises
and not the sleep
of death
but sometimes
the zest for death
may outdo
the zest for life
to prefer
not to be
rather than be
and the betraying kiss
of hurt and pain
and loss
or rather
to smell
the dying
rather than the scent
of lying women
to want nothing
but nothingness
zest for life
for being
for the sweet scent
of lovers and flowers
and more so
to be
and not wait
for the dying hours.