the water hole

there are no magic secrets in the mud

beneath our feet but worlds have passed away

while it was formed and our own great display

marks just a stage in passing drought and flood

each one of us from hero down to dud

knows that we have so little time to stay

and yet seem hasty to fritter our day

in silly matters that just waste our blood

time was we might have made some sort of stand

against the forces that push down so hard

to turn our efforts into so much smoke

but we are left with only a weak hand

remaining on what seems the final yard

and sense enough to understand the joke