The length versus the fullness of life

They want more light,
those men who barely see;
who waste whole lives
want immortality;
who foul the air with poisons
crave more breath;
who ruin poor men’s lives
long to cheat death
and what would they do with that extra time
except pile up yet more nickels and dimes.
I’d rather do as flames and flowers do,
brighten this world, then bid it all adieu.