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Ages of Man
All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms;
Then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lin'd,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
His youthful hose, well sav'd, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans every thing.
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MAN'S SAGA
Come, live.
Once born into this life, bawl.
Chew thin mush, then leak upon laps. Also shit.
Find tiny toes (even nine?), suck same.
Take naps, then sing. Itch. Snot.
Snag nail, bump shin. Wail with pain. Sulk... even sigh.
Rise, walk, jump, race, spin.
Lend toys. Wash sand from face.
Open mind, shun play, heed "Sirs". (Nuts!)
Work hard, read math (sine, atan, sinh, sign...),
then pass exam.
Meet thin girl, Anna.
She's some nice teen dish! Nice tits, even!
Date some, burn with lust, snag love.
Quip, "What stud!"
Shun sexy slut, then find wife, Gail.
Move into cosy home near high hill, tiny glen.
Have four sons, nine dogs.
Grab Dad's role. Weed lawn.
Hail cabs, dial inns, send scan.
Lend cold cash, fund Asia site, then make Yens.
Hold cash. Dare, defy, heap oath upon oath.
Diet.
Stay near nest till lean boys grow tall,
then play chic hero.
Coin neat idea:
Quit rush hour - even find Eden!
Rise near noon. Idly till land.
Heat hen's nest.
Tend hogs, iris, rose leaf, herb, tree, fern.
Darn rain!
Grow idle, shop 'flea sale',
Then soon come nigh "that hill".
Tilt with dull fate.
Die's cast:
Grow thin, drag self.
Grow gray, bald... then both.
Pine over past eons. Find heir.
(Alas, chin nods, life ebbs.
Body rots, cyst-rife.)
Walk away - rush over, shut, gone, near last gate.
Then join ill's ends: dust into dust.
Dies Irae.
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