First, I gave all living species
the ability to speak with each other.

You may have already noticed
that now even a routine
How’s your day going ?
with a squirrel makes
both of you feel amazing.

Now, all of nature’s squeaks,
growls, and murmurs, are
neighborly complaints about the weather,
comments on last night’s moon,
or maybe a little gossip.

I hope you’ve heard the maple trees
reciting their poems
or enjoyed the lovesick arias
composed and sung
by Mozartian coyotes.

I allowed Time
to retain its awesome power
to erode mountains,
cure illnesses, and shift
the positions of stars.

It still keeps us on our toes
by monkeying with our plans.

But I’ve reserved old age
for narcissists and cheaters.
So don’t worry, as long as
you’re good, you’ll stay young.

Suffering, of course, is sacred
and has to stay.

As for death, it arrives
in your sleep, just as it should.

You dream you’re under water
with brightly colored fish,
and it slowly dawns on you
that you don’t need to breathe.

Stay tuned—I might
make more upgrades tomorrow,
if I’m not too busy
discussing the meaning of life
with armadillos.