“My dear dead friend,
Tell me about your end.”
“Ah!I see your concern about
All our brethren burning out-
Some for simple use,
Many for gross abuse:
A hearth is lit,
Warmth comes with it.
A lamp burns bright
Driving out dark night.
A stove is turned on,
Thirst and appetite are gone.
A smoker strikes a match
And ills he begins to catch.
A doomed addict burns a stick,
Shows a society that’s turning sick.
An arsonist lights a bomb
Sending culture to its tomb.
We, the dead torchbearers pray for realization
Of a refined, enlightened civilization.”