Entropy

“Climb if you will, 
but from the beginning,  
think what may be the end.” -- Edward Wymper (1840 - 1911)

We know:
The foot slips.
The rope breaks.
Six ascend and three come home.

If you knew the end, 
would we never kiss?

And we do know:
paths diverge,
or we forget,
or death does us part.

And yes, it’s worse than that.

We know:
red-giant sun engulfs it all,
then falls small, and dark.

The planets freeze and turn to dust.

Yet we are here,
and today
is not the end of days.

Climb if you will!
Rise from the mud and live ten billion years,
while continents drift, and smash,
and golden sun pours warm on lovers’ skin.

Have and hold,
looping ‘round our yellow dwarf,
countless heartbeats of mindful nuclear denial.

Don’t think
what may be.
The cold will find us soon enough.                    (JWW 9/19/16)