A Strange Stage of Life

There's a stage of life which makes no sense at all Its essence, anti-life -- not about our rise, but our fall Almost from the get-go, the plan is to succeed We shed our diapers, dress ourselves, learn to read We go to school and do our best, focused on passing life's test Leaning on the record we've built as we leave the nest Then set out for the military, the university, a trade or a job The goal, a comfortable living -- so we don't have to steal or rob... We work and we struggle, we struggle and work, for 40, 50+ years, and what? The arrow points to retirement, a vapid lifestyle where our senses shut Down to everything we've been doing up to that point, leaving behind The hustle and the sweat, the rat-race and struggle, for a year or nine Of golf or tennis? Of walking or swimming? Of reading or sleeping or just overeating? Sure, some get to 'travel the world,' the 2% reaping The bounty of riches, of wealth and good health. But for many of us, drained from the work-a-day grind, we live out our days in boredom -- if not agony and pain...